@kelly yes this happiness is totally contagious both to other people and to other parts of life, such a great thing 🙏💜🙏

I also regret a lot of time that I could have had, but in those years there were other things that were great and that I'm also proud and happy about. I can't regret them, and I also can't let myself regret them, that would be unfair to other people and to my old self, who was just doing the best that self could. I'm just happy to be here now, whole.

@Eve this is also why I believe positive (even 'unrealistically' positive) portrayals of trans people in media is important-- I had none, growing up, and it wasn't until I saw trans people in my adult life, living and being happy, that I even considered that was even possible for me in any real sense. I could have started incorporating these thoughts into my growth so much earlier!

@kelly for me too: growing up and for so long I never thought I could really do this and so I put it aside and walled it away for so long. the world has changed so much I think, with media only one part.

@Eve that's one of the reason my coming out happened so fast once I made the decision... I didn't want to waste any time that I could potentially be what a younger me would have wanted: a living, hopefully happy example of possibility. In wanting to be a positive example I end up acting in more positive ways without even thinking. To be... careful sure, but unafraid. To help keep changing the world for myself but also for others who might be where I was not that long ago.

@Eve I know it's all kind of cliche and I'm still early-- and lucky to live in a pretty progressive area, with a lot of emotional support-- so there are a lot of 'honeymoon' feelings behind all this, but, thanks for sharing the feelings with me~

@kelly same here 💜💜💜

@kelly I'm also early and so I'm filled with a sincere and naive happiness too. Feelings that are real are easy to become cliches, but they are real. I'd much rather be naive than cynical in the parts of my emotional life I care about... thanks for being here together too 💜