Imagine being blind.

You’ve been blind your entire life but you didn’t realize that it wasn’t normal until early high school when you found out that other people have been able to see this whole time. There’s undoubtedly some disappointment as you’re going to miss out on an entire part of living that everyone else gets to experience but overall you learn how to live with it and find pride in it. And it’s always a good time when you find another blind person who can relate.

Then, unexpectedly, after years of living with the fact that you’re blind and having to explain it to people enough to where your friends could explain it for you, you wake up and you can see.

It’s a lot at first. It’s a whole other sense that you have to process and have to try to incorporate into how you think. Then you have to try to explain to your friends and family members that you can now see. Most people are in disbelief, understandably, and many questions are asked to understand the scenario. Not that there’s much you can explain. You just woke up like this.

Now exchange the ability to see in for being romantically attracted to people and being blind as being aromantic.

This was my experience nearly a month ago when I told my friends that I had started dating someone.

And yet now it feels normal. There’s not so many questions. Labels are still weird but labels aren’t always necessary.

Luckily for me, I have people willing to help me figure these things out and give me space to think when I need it.

Luckily for me, I have a wonderfully understanding boyfriend who is patient with me as we both figure out what all this means.