For nine months or so, I've been seriously questioning my sexuality... It really didn't start there though. Throughout my life I've had stages of wondering if I was gay or bi. It was never a big issue because I simply didn't date anyone. I was always the tomboy (and still am). A few significant periods in my life have made me wonder if my straight life was just a lie.
In high school, I had a huge crush on one of my best girl friends - to the point that I almost told her about it. That was the first situation that if things would have worked out differently, I may have acted on my attraction to her. I did mention it to two of our mutual friends. I had to tell someone, it was driving me crazy. Telling them also made the situation more real. I was facing it. But that whole circle of friends fell apart and all contact was lost.
Off to college, where I met this amazing guy. We had so much in common and were soon in love. Any questioning faded; I found my "place" in the heterosexual world. I was following the dating "recipe." Then along came another amazing person, a woman. We were great friends, just friends. During one semester, we had the opportunity to spend a lot of time together and I noticed that I was becoming attracted to her. It wasn't to the point of attempting to cheat on my boyfriend to experiment, but there was the realization that I still was attracted to girls. She also had a boyfriend and showed absolutely no signs of reciprocating my feelings. I never said anything to anyone about it.
By graduation, I was totally in love with my boyfriend. We decided to take the next big step and make it a forever thing and get married. Things started to go downhill soon after. Personally I wasn't happy for numerous reasons, but most importantly I was starting to lose my physical attraction to him.
During this time, I discovered Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I was hooked immediately. I thought that Willow and Tara were excellent characters from the beginning. It was great to see lesbians portrayed on television, and not just for two seconds. During my life I haven't known any lesbians, period. So even if it was just a television show, it was important to me. Something clicked - maybe that's how I was supposed to be, like Willow and Tara. So that messed with my mind a little - is a TV show really making me question one of the most defining aspects of my life? I thought about it a lot and figured out that seeing this relationship was just a catalyst for something that has been with me for quite a while.
Present day - I feel like my marriage is spiraling out of control, and it's my fault. I am distancing myself from him more and more every day. Things are imploding. I know it, he knows it. Part of it is that I'm still not comfortable in the adult world - still don't have a job I like, etc. But he doesn't know the rest of story. The biggest part is that I am questioning my sexuality. It has been a secret struggle - this is the first time that I've put any of my thoughts into words.
Recently I was in a situation where I met a lot of new people. I felt an attraction to one woman in particular. So proof was there once again. I felt horrible guilt for thinking of anyone but my husband. On top of meeting this new person, I still miss spending time with my college friend. I'm still attracted to her too, but know that there is no chance of anything ever happening there.
I look down the road a few years... 10 years... 15 years... and it scares me. Am I still going to be as miserable as I am now? Marriage is tough; no one ever said that it was easy. But we as a couple skipped over the "honeymoon" period. It's been rough sailing for most of the marriage. For a long time before the wedding, I was completely happy and eager to live out my years with him. (Otherwise, why would you get married, right?) Thinking about something and then actually living it out are completely two different things, and I'm getting to understand that every day. My fire is gone, and I don't know if I can ever get it back. I don't want to be sitting here 15 years later with regrets, wondering what I've been doing. You only get one chance at this life.
So I don't know what this essay really is. Probably part getting things off my chest and part cry for help.