After a heartfelt family dinner at Olivia and a peaceful moment at the range with a friend, my week took an emotional turn. On Sunday, I received the news that my dad had passed away. Though the day was filled with sorrow, visiting him one last time and sharing a quiet dinner with my sister afterward brought a sense of comfort and peace.

After identifying as genderfluid for three years, I started questioning if there was more to my journey earlier this year. This led to a pivotal moment during my summer vacation when I asked close friends to call me "Aida" and use she/her pronouns. Since then, I've been taking steps to embrace my true self, including coming out to my father and booking my first therapist appointment.