Meet Ethan Sobel

June marks Pride month, and this Saturday the city of Boston celebrates Pride.

For the first almost 22 years of my life, I never understood what being prideful even meant. Sure, I got good grades, was selected for athletic all-star teams and all-state orchestras—but I wasn’t proud.

Each day was truly a struggle—perhaps mostly because I was in the closet about being gay, and more recently discovered about growing up with the family disease of alcoholism. I somehow got through and persevered, but was never proud.

At age 22, I finally came out and discovered what being joyous, jubilant and happy were—I was gay, had a loving boyfriend, was the commencement speaker at the UMass Honors College commencement and headed to the graduate school of my dreams at Boston University.

The past five years in Boston have been a whirlwind of development and growth. I have truly figured out who I am and what I am about: I’m a gay athlete, musician, Jew, son, brother and so much more.

We all know what struggle is. After all, if we don’t experience the lowest of lows, we cannot truly feel the emotion of the highest of highs.

Whether or not you are in Boston this weekend or even celebrate pride, take a moment to be proud. Pat yourself on the back, you deserve it.