Lessons learned during the journey to the top of Gender Mountain AKA SCC

[SuzanneBender]

I am posting this thread here because it is more than a journal of my trip this week to SCC. I will do one of those with plenty of pictures.

As I sit in the Atlanta airport I can’t help but feel the bitter sweet wonder that occurs when an event that you have looked forward to for an entire year passes by in what feels like the blink of an eye. This years conference was an emotional journey for me. As the ladies and gentlemen from the conference flow back to society from the cocoon of safety spun by the love of our TG brothers, sisters and others that support us I can’t help but reflect and take account of the lesson that I learned or were reinforced during this week’s pilgrimage. I am going to start a list. Some of my lessons may become life changing for me, some will be trite and some will be irreverent.

1. Take pride in your gender expression. It is who you are.

2. Be honest to yourself and those you love concerning your gender expression.

3. You will always pack more clothes than you can wear during one of these events. I am fully convinced that the economic slowdown will be over next week due to the enormous amount of checked baggage fees the airlines will be collecting thanks to SCC.

4. Even the most supportive of spouses wrestle with our authentic selves. The spouses I met during this conference were amazing people that make incredible sacrifices for the ones they love.

5. I miss putting on makeup this morning, but I don’t miss shaving after doing it twice a day for almost a week.

6. There are a lot of non TG people in this world that really take an interest an care about the TG community.

7. What you see as tragedy in the moment may serve as a force to change your life for the positive in the future.

8. No matter how alone you feel in your specific circumstances there is someone out there that is experiencing something very similar to you. Once you find those folks they are an enormous source of strength.

9. Don’t forget to pack tissues in your purse. Especially when you are not wearing waterproof mascara.

10. A hug from your friends squeezes the tears out of you and replaces them with a comfy blanket of friendship.

11. Talk with as many folks as you can. The person that you don’t go up and chat with may have the neatest things to share.

12. A pair of women’s Nike running shoes feel like walking on a cloud after a week of wearing designer heals.

13. The journey is more important than the destination and once you reach the destination you will need to ask yourself “now what?”.

I ask those of you that attended the conference this week or any conference for that matter to add to gift of wisdom that we after receive from the Gurus of gender at these types of events.

[Monika G]

Thank you sharing your thoughts. I find them to be quite insightful. You are an inspiration.

[Jodygurl]

Thank you, Suzanne. Wonderful post.

[AKAMichelle]

It sounds like you taking a piece of each one of them with you as left Atlanta. Things like this have a way of changing our lives forever.

[carhill2mn]

Thanks for sharing your "lessons".

[Raychel]

Thanks for sharing your wisdom, I especially like

A hug from your friends squeezes the tears out of you and replaces them with a comfy blanket of friendship

Talk with as many folks as you can. The person that you don’t go up and chat with may have the neatest things to share.

and best of all

The journey is more important than the destination and once you reach the destination you will need to ask yourself “now what?”.

[Rebecca Jackson]

What a wonderful and thoughtful post Suzanne. Thanks for Sharing.

[ArleneRaquel]

A most heartfelt and inspiring post.

[Kathi Lake]

Great post, as always, Suze!

Lots of good advice in there for everyone. I especially like points one, two and thirteen. We are who we are - learn it, embrace it, love it! If we're not honest now, we'll have to be honest eventually. If we learn anything from this board, it should be the example of so any of us who were dishonest for so long - only to have it crashing down on top of them years later.

As for your last point, our journey is the fun part! As many twists and turns as life throws at us, can we ever really know our destination? Not usually, so enjoy the ride.

Wish I could have been there with you all (well, since it was in Atlanta, I guess it would be y'all). Maybe some year.

Kathi

by the way, thanks to your post title, I have "Climb every mountain" running through my head now. Thanks.

[Kelly Blaine]

Suzane,

What a most wonderful post.

Your were blessed with the experience and hopefully next year I can meet you there.
You inspired me.

[Mindymaycd]

That was such a nice and insightful post, thank you for your thoughts.

[faltenrock]

very nice words, thanks you for that post

[SuzanneBender]

Girls these aren't ideas that I came up with I am not nearly that creative. They are simply ideas that came from listening to and observing many of the wonderful souls that I was blessed to meet during the past few days. I encourage anyone that has the means to travel to Atlanta for the SCC it is a wonderful event.

It sounds like you taking a piece of each one of them with you as left Atlanta. Things like this have a way of changing our lives forever.

My life and the lives of those around me has changed and will continue to change because of what I gained in Atlanta during that ohh so short week. I just wish I could have met you Michele, but the wonderful thing is we have a lifetime to make that happen. Although, meeting sooner than later would be more fun.

I especially like points one, two and thirteen. We are who we are - learn it, embrace it, love it! If we're not honest now, we'll have to be honest eventually. If we learn anything from this board, it should be the example of so any of us who were dishonest for so long - only to have it crashing down on top of them years later.

As for your last point, our journey is the fun part! As many twists and turns as life throws at us, can we ever really know our destination? Not usually, so enjoy the ride.

Wish I could have been there with you all (well, since it was in Atlanta, I guess it would be y'all). Maybe some year.

by the way, thanks to your post title, I have "Climb every mountain" running through my head now. Thanks.

Its amazing because those are what I consider the Queens of the lessons that I took away from the conference (Pun Intended). You cant be the best for you and those around you without being proud, true and not afraid to take the journey no matter how small each step.

Your name came up in so many conversations while I was there especially when those conversations consisted of shopping.

I am also glad that that song is running through your head because now you have mentioned it I can not get it out of mine.

Your were blessed with the experience and hopefully next year I can meet you there.You inspired me.

Kelly I am just telling the truth. Go you will not regret it it is always a good time. See you there.

[Michelle I]

Suzanne:

SCC has caused much sole searching, thanks to Lana Moore for bring out some of your lessons, especially 1 and 2. I am heading in a different direction, up a different mountain with the hope of being a more complete me. Thanks for the talks.

Melissa

[SuzanneBender]

Lana's seminar really helped me out too. It cost me a half a purse pack of Klenex, but it was well worth it. Chloe's was even more draining. It caused me to soak an entire pack of Klenex. Those two seminars convinced me how important 1 and 2 are in our lives and the lives of the ones we love.