My Wise Younger Self
I flew home from Berlin to Vancouver after two years abroad. My mother, Roberta, tasked me with removing my belongings from the attic. I sorted through boxes of memories. Flipping through an old notebook, I discovered an entry entitled, “Confessions,” written in cursive on Feb. 24, 2004, the eve of my 13th birthday: “I get so weird near girls and I think I’m lesbo.” A feeling of vindication and love for my younger self washed over me. I thought I hadn’t known I was gay until later on. In reality, I had always known. — Deidre Olsen
