One year on!!

Tonight I have been re-reading some of my earliest posts. 51 weeks ago I made that first post. I cannot believe that it has been a

year since I started blogging this journey. I does not seem that long ago. One thing that was obvious as I read them, the fear I had about coming out, the repetitive fears of how I would be treated, how I would be accepted or rejected, for the most part had just been in my own head. I still have some of my initial hurdles to overcome, but I don't see them as horrific as they were 12 months ago. These are all seem much more manageable and less constricting now. I seem to have this freedom now to be me.

Since my last post, my big reveal post, I have so much more confidence, so much more support in my world, so much more love! I love my long blonde wig/s, I love the way I feel in them, I love the length, everything about them except one thing. It's still a disguise. Since I came out, I have been going out without the wigs on. I am me 100%. No fear and no hiding. All this is possible because of you, my friends, my family, my loved ones. Without you, any of you, I would not be where I am today, happy, content, and at peace. I have been able to reach out, embrace, welcome back, grow closer to, build bridges to, family and friends I that I had never been close to, distanced myself, or just hid away from. I am very lucky. No, extremely lucky. I haven't had much, if any, negative reaction or feedback as to any part of my transition I know that it is not that common for people like myself to have been so fortunate as they learn to live an authentic life. Yes I have a few hurdles to bound over, these I intend to do with grace, and dignity.

To everyone who has given me some love and support, I love you all. Every promise I made to make time to each and everyone, I will do everything I can to make those happen. Tonight, someone who I hadn't seen since before I took my first ever public appearance came and had a wine with us. She brought me to the edge of happy tears. She said she couldn't believe how happy and feminine I look. She gave me nothing but praise and I couldn't help but blush, and I felt so loved in that moment, and felt all the love of the last 2 weeks swell up inside me. I cannot put into words just how much every small, and big message of support has been for me. I withdrew from my larger world, I contracted into my cocoon/chrysalis for my own safety, now this next part of my life is my metamorphosis, and I will emerge myself into big a beautiful butterfly with the ability to fly strong, free and to brighten up other people's worlds. I have 5 months to go before this young butterfly will be ready to really soar, as I will finally be able to release the shackles of my male persona for the last time. Either September 1st or 2nd will be the last day I will have to go to work and use the name Warren. For the month of September, I will be on leave from work and return for Serah's first day to her job on October 2nd. My countdown is on!

Along this theme of self expression, to my world, I announce that I have begun to study again. I have begun the process to study psychology. I'm putting it out there. I am not hiding anything. I have the confidence to be truthful, honest and expose my secrets. I haven't shared this with many yet, I don't want to put undue pressure on myself as I learn to study, to learn this tricky subject. Hopefully I can learn more about myself, learn better strategies to deal with my short comings, to grow and embrace others better, and also to help others less fortunate than myself. How will I use this knowledge. That I do not know. I do love my job as it is, and I am good at it. But is this my forever role for the rest of my working life? Only time will tell.

Now my friends and family,