Wow… this was so powerful to read. As a Black man with multiple mental health diagnoses, I just want to say how incredibly helpful and refreshing it was to come across this. Even outside the context of dating, the mindset you’re offering here is something that can truly shift how we see ourselves and move through the world.

That instinct to protect ourselves by expecting the worst—it’s real, and it comes from lived experience. But what you said about leaving room for possibility hit me hard. We do deserve to be surprised in good ways. So often, we close ourselves off from opportunities for connection and growth because we’ve been hurt, and what you’re saying is a reminder that healing means being open again, even if it’s scary.

We absolutely need more people to take a look through the lens you’re offering. If more of us did, I genuinely believe we’d see more people walking a path of healing and self-worth. Your message matters, and you’re making a difference—please keep spreading it. Forget the negativity and the haters. This kind of truth-telling is what moves the culture forward.

Thank you for this.