This morning I did something I have not done for as long as I can remember. I took a long bath, dressed--the clothes of a civilian, an ordinary man--and took a walk. I felt the warmth of the sun on my skin and breathed deeply. As I stood there, the last few months of pain, anguish, and doubt seemed to melt away, if only for one fleeting moment.
I do not know whether I will ever again don the uniform of Batman. A part of me longs to, but I see now how great the price I must pay for the choices I have made with my life. I realize and admit that I was never meant to be a hero. It is time to simply be a man--a role as immense and overwhelming as any other.
Only one thing is clear to me. There is something I have wanted to do for a very long time, but fear blinded me from even recognizing it, let alone taking action.
Until now.