A truly great moment in my life

[Marcelle]

Hi all and thanks very much for your kind comments. It has been a bit of an emotional roller coaster but hopefully all will go well.

. . .May I suggest you treat him the same way you would treat a spouse that has just found out? He needs a strong dose of your male side to reassure him that Isha has not killed the male side of you.

Hi Heidi. Exactly what we have planned. We will be doing so climbing later next week (something we always used to do) followed by a BBQ at his house.

What a great analogy. Can I use it?

Hi Lauren. Most certainly you may use the analogy.

Hugs all

Isha

[Kim_Bitzflick]

Isha,

That is truly inspiring. Thank you so much for sharing. When I finished reading, I almost cried. Have you ever considered writing a book? You have a nice way with words.

[JocelynRenee]

Wow. What a great story and a testament to your character and the wonderful life you have built. Enjoy and thank you for sharing!

[vicky_cd99_2]

All I can say is wow. That was very inspiring. I can only wish to have the courage you have. Being that open and honest would not only lose me some long time friends, it could get me seriously hurt. Those not so open minded bikers can be a funny group. Again I applaud your courage.

[Genny B]

As always I truly enjoyed your writing Isha. I am curious about the informing your superiors bit though. I am retired so I may be out of date, but to my understanding such action in the American military would be grounds for an immediate discharge. Would I be correct in understanding that this is not true in Canada? I keep waiting for it to become a non-issue for many reasons and hope that what I am getting from your writing is true!

Genny B

[Katey888]

Good progress Isha...

Maybe that just demonstrates that really good friends remain really good friends, they just need a bit of time to adjust...

Did he compliment you on how you looked, or is it perhaps too early to expect the normal male-female presentation courtesies...?

Good luck with the rest of it too...

Katey x

[phylis anne]

Hi Isha,
Wow very nice story . I think both of you are headed in the right direction ,having been long time friends and confidants etc. I think your friend just showed that he values your friendship very much and is willing to start taking the steps to his accepting you as "Isha" good luck most of us are not that lucky
hugs phylis anne

[Stephanie Sometimes]

That's a wonderful story Isha and congratulations on getting your dear friend to reach a level of understanding and hopefully increasing acceptance of who you are. You were brave to meet him in Isha mode and I wonder if your openness in that regard may have been influential in impressing on your friend how important being Isha is to you? Good luck on your effort to restore that friendship to it's previous level and thanks for sharing your story.
Hugs,
Stephanie

[Persephone]

Your actions and your post are incredibly inspirational. You are a great lady and a wonderful human being!

Hugs,
Persephone.

[bridget thronton]

Sounds like things are going well

[Dana does shopping]

Be certain he was feeling the 'loss' of his friend ... and You have allayed his fears that You have gone nowhere ...just 'kitted' up as Yourself! All the best, hopefully this friendship will morph back into your "new normal!"

[Eringirl]

How wonderful Isha, soooo happy for you! Looks like a nice start. Patience....time will tell.

Erin

[JessicaJHall]

Wonderful story Isha! Many thanks for sharing your journey with us, and I love your new avatar, BTW!
I thought it might end with him coming out too!! Sometimes it's a shock for us closet cases to hear about our friends coming out, and we might be afraid of being exposed so we can't be honest. I have a friend who's out in a big way, and I just kind of didn't say anything.. I didn't express any shock, and we're still great friends, but I feel really bad about not being supportive. But at the time, Julie was on an eight year hiatus, and I just didn't know what to say, because all I could think was "me too!, but I'm a big chicken!" She probably knows anyway?
I might have that story to tell soon!

[Marcelle]

. . . I am curious about the informing your superiors bit though. I am retired so I may be out of date, but to my understanding such action in the American military would be grounds for an immediate discharge. Would I be correct in understanding that this is not true in Canada?

Hi Genny,

You are correct in the Canadian military being TG is not grounds for dismissal. In fact there is policy which protects the rights of TG persons to continue in their job.

... Did he compliment you on how you looked, or is it perhaps too early to expect the normal male-female presentation courtesies...?

Hey Katey,

LOL ... once we got the initial conversation out of the way and we were talking he did say that when I walked up to get my coffee he saw three dudes checking me out from behind and he found that a bit weird because he knew I was a guy but he couldn't help but sneak a peak and realized that from behind it would have been a hard call (I guess yoga pants can make anyone look good ). So I guess in a way that was a bit of a compliment.

Hugs

Isha

[Trishpdxcd2]

I do envy and admire you for being out the way you are.

[justmetoo]

Great story, Isha! (a little misty-eyed myself) It's cool that he was willing to give it a try even if it took him a while to get there. And awesome of you to go there, en femme (and for him being open to that), and give that great analogy and explanation. Seems like everything bodes well for your friendship.
(I also like your new avatar - great smile, as always)
You are an inspiration.

[Sally24]

Very nice for you Isha! It's not unusual to lose friends. I think it is unusual to get them back. He must be a good friend.

[Jamie Lynn]

Congratulations Isha! It sounds like he's missed your companionship as a friend and you've just shown him why he needn't have. Cheers!

[charlenesomeone]

Isha,
What a great story. Hope your friend can accept you.
Love the analogy.
Hugs

[Teresa]

Isha thanks for sharing your story with us ! I'm so glad you have a good friend back !
It's stange how something like that can make you nervous, the friend must have been a close one !

So what was the orchestra playing when you left ? Serenade for strings ? or a bit of Beethoven's fifth ?

[Tinkerbell-GG]

Wow, Isha, I have goose bumps. I was reading and thinking 'yep, I'd ask the same question as your friend' and yet I'm also here hoping and loudly cheering that he will just be your friend again! I feel like I'm reading the excerpt of an exciting novel. Only better, as I feel I might know the protagonist a little

Anyway, I'm emotionally drained after all that, lol. You sure know how to live life to its fullest and I seriously admire that. I hope you both can be the friends you always were, with just a little Isha in the mix. x

[BOBBI G.]

Isha,
I have now committed your post to memory. I am sure it will pop up in my life somewhere. So, I am writing the reference/credit linen now. This will surely be used, someday, an someone willing to try and understand who we are.
I am a transgender female (girl) and have been on HRT for just shy of a year, so a lot of people I see on rare occasions have question marks on their foreheads.
Thank you for your colorful way so story telling, and thanks for your insight.

Bobbi

[mykell]

hello isha,
as always your story was inspirational, have lost many friends throughout my time with this,
none have ever tried to understand, you have a good friend, congratulations on the rekindled friendship.....

[Talisker]

Wow. At first just the amount of text was a bit daunting but glad I read it now.
He could have lots of reasons and thoughts going on for cutting you off. I would bet you will be friends again someday.

Hugs

[Henriette7]

Hi Isha

I get tiers in my eyes when reading this, that an overwhelming story, I hope all the best for you and your true friend :-))).

Love
Henriette