Dearest One,
Let me introduce you to a little one we’ll call Alex. Alex was born a healthy little boy to two loving parents that I know and adore. With 10 fingers and 10 toes his parents rejoiced at his arrival, as did his big sister, Jennifer.
As Alex began his pathway into toddlerhood, he leaned more and more into the more “typical girl toys”: dolls, My Little Pony, and lots and lots of dress up. His family celebrated him for who he was, giving him the room to explore and experiment. His preschool even created “Tutu Fridays” for Alex, as he was often showing up at school in bright colored tutus and leotards.
As time marched on, kids would often innocently ask, “Are you a boy or a girl?” At first, Alex wanted his mom to answer, “He’s a boy that likes to wear girl clothes.” Alex’s family supported him to express himself and stay true to himself.
Until the day came, the summer before Alex entered Kindergarten, when Alex said in his sweet little voice, “Mommy I want you to tell people I’m a girl.” “OK,” replied Alex’s mama.
His mom and dad could feel it was coming. They could sense that Alex was gender identifying as a girl. They had read book after book, article after article and enrolled in a gender spectrum support group. And so Alex went from being a HE to being a SHE. And boy, has she blossomed.
The deep inspiration that Alex and her family has given to our community is immeasurable. Here are some of the lessons this little 5 year old taught me:
- Be true to yourself.
- Allow your truth to unfold.
- Be patient and gentle as you wait for it.
- When your truth arrives, speak it and share it.
- Cultivate a community that will support and love you unconditionally.
- And in the words of Robert Fulghum, “And it is still true, no matter how old you are – when you go out into the world, it is best to hold hands and stick together.”
Can we please do a better job of holding hands and sticking together? Regardless of our differences in gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religion or the color of our hair, let’s be kind and respect each other. Share your story and comments on my blog.
For all the souls that lost their lives in Orlando and the friends and family that are reeling from the loss, I am holding you in my heart. I honor each of you for living and speaking your truth.
With unstoppable love,
My heart expanded through the love of my two nephews. When I first met them, I was overwhelmed by the love I felt for them, which I had never before experienced. So unconditional, so pure. And they loved me back with the same unconditional love and purity. They were the first to do that. They trusted me implicitly. And they had no shame in showing it. I used to tell them after they had visited and slept over that my heart had grown bigger again, because of them.
When they grew older their being introverted became pretty extreme and they were finally diagnosed with PDD NOS, a form of autism, which dempens their feelings and expressions. But this deep love that I felt for them when I met them is still there, still expanding my heart whenever I think about it. Thank you for asking!
Elizabeth,
Yes times a million.
Love,
Amy
My heart expands whenever I see people being kind: a football player cuddling a small kitten, people letting others go ahead in line because they can see the person is in a rush, doctors who take the time to really listen to you, my adult daughters who are good friends and love spending time together, people lining up to donate blood in Orlando, volunteering at the animal shelter and being there when an animal gets adopted. The list goes on and on.