In a year marked by loss, uncertainty, and a sense of drifting away from society, I thought I had run out of ways forward. But stepping into a tech community, I found something I didn’t know I needed: people who welcomed me without question, who said “I’m glad you’re here,” and who reminded me that I still had value. Their presence became the light that helped me return to the world. This is a story of how community can save a person—and why I am deeply grateful for the beautiful world that made this possible.