I turned to many sources for help. I am fortunate to be surrounded by amazingly supportive and wise people. I count Father Chris among the wisest. He has seen me through the worst and continues to witness and nurture my growth. One of the most profound things he said to me along the way was, “Prepare yourself, you might always be single.” What? I AM NOT GOING TO ALWAYS BE SINGLE!” I thought, “You are a mean man and don’t know what you are talking about! That’s not nice!” I was outraged.

But then I sat with that statement for a few weeks and realized that he was right. I SHOULD prepare myself. I should prepare myself and build on myself. I should prepare myself and grow and learn and live on my own and be okay with that. Not only okay, but great! I should prepare myself to be truly myself, dependent on myself and thriving for myself. I should prepare to build a life that is complete with or without a partner.

I do wonder and dream about who I may someday end up sharing my life with. I know I want to be worthy of that person and that person to be worthy of me. I remind myself, however, that no matter what, I will be spending my life with the person reflected in the mirror. That person should be the person I want to spend time with, who I am proud of and who I can depend on. That person is me.