Saying Yes

Life Adventures

Jul 25

Recently, I was asked to do some consulting work for the TLC show Lost In Transition, a six-part series dedicated to telling the stories of transgender women coming out later in life. Normally I wouldn't watch something like this-- most tv shows on the trans experience are created for non-trans audiences, and Lost In Transition is no exception. Everything about the show exhibits an understanding that its viewers are likely to be straight, middle-American women who are curious about (but not repulsed by) the transgender experience.

But as I watched the episodes, I was deeply struck by how sad it was to have lived one's whole life in the shadows. To know a fundamental truth about oneself and to hide it from the world. To keep such a basic fact from one's children and spouse and parents. Every single trans woman featured on the show had profound regrets about how much of life they had missed because they were too afraid to be honest about who they were.

I am in a constant battle with my own judgement of others. I try so hard not to imagine what I would do in a given circumstance because the reality is, I don't actually know what I might do in the shoes of another. So instead of go down the slippery slope of finger-pointing, I looked at my own life and tried to determine whether I was making that same mistake. Is life passing me by in ways I won't realize until my 50's or 60's? What are things I might look back on with regrets?

These questions opened some deep inquiry in me. It's only been a couple of months since watching Lost In Transition, but I have already made big changes to help me make sure I don't let life pass me by. Stay tuned for my stories on how I plan to say "yes!" from now on instead of saying "not yet." I'm so excited to share my journey with you.

trystan

Trystan Reese https://collaborate.consulting

Saying Yes

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