Another Holiday?

My Favorite Valentines. Liz on left, daughter 
on right.
From the Jessie Hart Archives.

 Following the Christmas holiday season which presents so many problems for transgender women and men, here comes yet another rather traumatic holiday. 

Both of the holidays revolve around personal relationships, to which trans folk often have lost close friends or family because they set out to live as their authentic selves. When I read all the social media posts from transgender folk who are lonely, my heart goes out to them. The entire process just goes to show how much a person can lose following a gender transition. Once again it shows how much of a choice we don't have when we set out on our gender journeys. 

I am fairly sure I didn't think of losing family the first time I looked at myself cross dressed as a girl in the hallway mirror but then again maybe I did because I was so frightened about getting caught. Maybe my fears were justified so many years later, when I did lose all contact with the brother I was afraid of exposing my secret to so many years ago.

Overall, I know how fortunate I am when certain holidays such as Christmas and Valentines Day come around each year. Through a mix of work, destiny an sheer luck, I was able to find another person in the world who accepted the authentic me. My wife Liz basically picked me up off the trash heap and made me a believer in myself again. Something which I thought was impossible at my age of sixty two. In fact, I had given up on the idea of another serious relationship in my life and felt I was doomed to live alone as a transgender woman trying to make her way in the world. 

Perhaps, more importantly, I was able to rebuild family connections which were lost. Through my daughter's in laws and Liz's family, having a Christmas with family and friends became a reality again. And, even though I had never been a big believer in Valentine's Day, it is still very nice to tell Liz happy Valentines Day and I love her and for her to return the favor. Plus, I can't forget all my bonus checks which were added to because of Valentines promotions in the restaurant business I was in.

At the least, Valentines Day only lasts for one day and hopefully you can mend the hurt you may feel from having no one to celebrate with. Anyway you cut it being transgender should not deny you a chance to be happy with another person...but it does. 

It is just another holiday designed to stimulate certain areas of the economy not hurt the ones who happen to be single when it comes around. If you are one of those people, Liz gives out the best hugs and I am sending a big one to each of you.

Weekend Dreams

For some reason, it looks like a rare quiet weekend for us coming up.

As it stands now, there are no social group outings to go to, no dinners, no anything.  Basically though, it is the proverbial "lull before the storm." 

Next week, I/we have four things to do, including a cross dresser - transgender support group meeting, a trip to the therapist, a dinner out with our meet up circle and a Valentines dinner to be decided later.

I washed my hair yesterday, so my "salon hair" is gone and the natural waves are back. But of course, the new color is still there. Unfortunately too, my fingernails are going to need attention too. They are starting to chip (as they always do) at approximately the three week mark. Since I don't put the extra money and time out for acrylics.

Other than that, I will have to decide if I will wear my new/old glasses to any of the appointments.

One thing is for sure, the week will fly by before I know it.

As my Mom used to say, don't wish time away. Your life is like a roll of toilet paper, the closer it gets to the end...the faster it goes.