Everything Happens for a Reason

Happy New Year, Everyone!

I hope your holiday season was filled with peace and joy. As I’ve shared in previous posts, this time of year isn’t just my favorite because of the festive spirit—it’s also a time of meaningful reflection for me.

With that in mind, I’m diving back into Unbound to revisit some of the scenes that, while dramatized for the story, still echo deeply from my personal journey. One of those is in Chapter One, when Andy shares an intimate, vulnerable moment with his best friend Bobby behind the store and attempts to kiss him.

That scene wasn’t written just for shock or tension—it was meant to express emotional vulnerability, yes, but also a quiet kind of awakening. It’s the first time Andy experiences not only a physical attraction to another boy, but a deeper emotional attachment as well. While my own version of that moment played out differently in real life—no, I never tried to kiss my best friend—the emotional realization was very real. The realization that he wasn’t gay. The loneliness that followed. The need to hold those feelings silently inside.

Bobby, in the novel, also symbolizes something vital: unwavering support. He’s the person who helps Andy weather the storm of living under Daniel’s control. He represents a lifeline, a reminder that even in pain, connection is still possible. Writing that scene, and many others in Unbound, pushed me into not just introspection, but retrospection. I spent a lot of time wondering: how might things have been different if that moment had taken place today? Or even just twenty years later? What if I had grown up with a different family dynamic, or in a more accepting environment?

It’s something I reflect on often. The “escape” part of my story was shaped by forces beyond my control—family, society, the times. But the “identity” and “love” aspects? Those would’ve emerged no matter what. They were always part of me.

And now, all these years later, I look back with no regrets. Life didn’t unfold in a straight line, but I’ve come to see the blessings in that. I’ve found peace, purpose, and love—and sometimes, that’s all the resolution you need.

Thanks for reading—and until next time, be happy, be safe, and stay true to yourself.

— Chris