What was your light in the dark?

When you (whoever's reading this) came out to friends and family, and you went trough tough times, what did you hold on to that made you survive the....experience? What was your light in the dark? Mine was hope, i held on to it very tightly like a selfish child who refuses to share a toy.
I think hope is a powerful thing to lose. What do you think?

 

Mine light at the end of the tunnel was realizing I didn't have to come out since apparently everyone already knew.
Lesson learned: don't tell Moira anything.

 

my light was that since i came out to a friend who knew everyone in town and sucked at keeping secrets, at least i didn't have to put up with horny drunk boys hitting on me anymore.

 

i dunno, i think the light was me. i knew that whatever happened, i had myself. it turned out to be not so hard once i came out. that was the easy bit. the hard bit was beforehand when no one knew.

 

My light in the dark? Self expression... As long as I'm expressing myself, I feel that my upcoming transition will be endurable.

 

Come to think of it, I don't think I had a light in the dark. In fact, it's still kind of dark.

 

haha, same here, only three of my friends know.

 

coming out to my friends was really easy...they pretty much knew before me...but when my mom found out by snooping in my room my only light (and i don't think this will help and i don't suggest this) was self destruction and drugs and pulling away from people and pretty much being unbareable...i hurt a ton of people...my mom still isn't ok with me and my dad, brother, and other family still don't know...but i really put everyone through shit and it is a long and painful process of coming up from the bottom...and only at the age of 18...it makes me scared of what's to come...
all in all...i don't suggest taking that route

 

I havent found mine. Im scared to lose my family. Not that I really have them anyway. I think right now, the only thing that seems worthwhile is this love I have. It gives me a reason to want to be me, exposed and true. If only I have the courage now.

 

Before I came out, I read every book on homosexuality I could get my hands on. I was at least aware that there were other gay men out there somewhere, even if they were not so visible in my little town. I always had a notion that I'd go away to a bigger and more glamorous city--maybe even Cleveland--and find my place in the world.

Now I'm finally starting to get it all together in a small town.