When I was a teen ager I sat in the first raw of a history class and the boy next to me told me:  "You are a Homosexual".  The words pierced my heart like a knife".  I went home and looked in the dictionary.  I remembered the bible stories taught in school aout gays who were condemed and stoned and cast out of society.  I wanted to die.  I envied my father who was old and did not have many years left.  I looked for a way out.  I tried to prove to myself that I was not gay.  I hid the thoughts I had from everyone and even for myself.  Istarted developing my own theories so I can prove that I am not gay.  I was afraid to sit  by man in a bus.  I started to lose my mind.  I did not share it with anyone for years.

Many years later I met a sixty year old man on a beach.  A stranger.  He felt my distress and with a few soothing words helped me see the light again and regain my life and Self Cofidence.  I continued meeting with him and we became life long friends.

I will never forget him.