I am queer. After my long-term partner tragically passed away several years ago, I struggled to accept myself. We grew up together, learning adulthood hand in hand, and his loss has weighed heavily on me—not just for what we had, but for the life I never got to live. I feel selfish, as if revealing this truth betrays his memory. No one close to me knows my struggle; I am still in hiding, burdened by the toll it has taken on my mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being.