Peace of Heart❤️

Story shared by Sara~

I remember every detail of the day Ronnie came out to me. He was 15. I was in my first home in Arizona, cradling my newborn son, Cole. Ronnie insisted I sit beside him on the couch. With Cole nestled in my arms, I sat down. He looked right at me and said, “I’m gay.”

Without hesitation, I looked up to the heavens and said, “Yes! Thank you, God. This is way better than a sister.” Growing up with five brothers, I always longed for a sister. But the universe, in its infinite wisdom, gave me two gay brothers instead—and that was its own kind of magic. As Ronnie would later say:

“Cole was so little and you were on the carpet with him. I was on the couch and asked you to sit beside me. I told you I was gay. I was so nervous. You accepted me in a way I had never felt before. The reason I remember it so well was because of the peace at heart you gave me in that moment.”

—Ronnie Riba

Peace of heart. As I grow older, I’ve come to understand that peace is the most priceless and cherished gift there is. We spend our lives searching—trying to fill a God-shaped hole with everything but what truly satisfies: spirit, love, truth, presence. That missing piece inside us cannot be filled from the outside. Only by turning inward do we begin to heal.

For me, that peace has come in waves, through loss, through love, and through clarity. Like fitting the final piece into a lifelong puzzle, my heart has started to come together. And I am deeply grateful that I could give that kind of peace to my brother—because I couldn’t imagine it any other way.

To deny who you are, to feel shame for simply being, is a silent punishment that can last a lifetime. I never wanted my brother to feel that way. So I made it my mission to love him loudly, to see him fully, to remind him every day that he was worthy, beautiful, and whole. But when your caregivers send a message of shame—when they call you sick or broken just for being yourself—it leaves a wound that is hard to heal.

Love is the answer. Love has always been the answer. It’s not just a feeling—it’s an action. A choice. A gift you give the world every day, in the way you speak, support, and see others. Anything less is just spinning your wheels.

So this Pride Month and always, I honor my brother. I honor all those who came before him, and all those who will come after. No matter who you are, your pursuit of happiness begins within—and that peace of heart? It’s not only possible, it’s your birthright.

A piece of my heart will always be with him. And it brings me comfort to know that, now, he is finally at peace.

“What makes you different is what makes you beautiful. Be proud of who you are—and never let the world convince you to be anyone else.”

—Unknown