I’ve always struggled with a secret I’ve kept for years: I’m sterile. For a long time, I didn’t tell my first girlfriend because I feared she would leave me. The thought of losing her over something like that was unbearable. But eventually, the truth came out, and to my heartbreak, she left me. I spent a whole year in a dark place, struggling with depression, and after that, every relationship I tried just felt empty and meaningless. Six months ago, I met someone new. She was different—kind, understanding,

and I quickly found myself falling madly in love with her. But I was still terrified. I couldn’t bear the thought of her leaving too. So, for months, I kept my secret buried deep inside. But the fear of losing her eventually outweighed the fear of telling her the truth. Yesterday, I finally gathered the courage to open up. I told her everything, how I was sterile and how I had been afraid of losing her just like I had lost others before. Her response was nothing like what I expected. She didn’t react with shock or disappointment; instead, she simply looked at me and said, “ We could adopt in the future.” I was completely overwhelmed with relief. I hadn’t expected her to be so understanding. Tears started to well up in my eyes, and in that moment, I realized that I loved her more than I had ever loved anyone. I knew, without a doubt, that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her. I wanted to marry her.