I hear yeah, and I'm starting to question my own notions "that I have to hide". I think sometimes, for me at least, I blame society, my parents, friends, a job… Whatever for what ultimately was a self-imposed restriction or hold back that I put on myself. It's my own uncertainty of how people would react that used to make me feel I had to hide. No one made me. Once that becomes clear we can drop the need to behave anyway besides the way the way we truly are...and just be.

So what if people pass judgment on me? At this point I'd rather live with the mild pain of being my true self and dealing with the reaction of people who are asleep, versus stifling myself to keep all of the sheep happy.

Your wife is a great girl and I feel you and she are on this same path.