...........Besides the obvious? Oh yeah, we all feel good about ourselves one way or the other but CDing has changed my life in at least three ways as far as I can determine.
First of all, by boldly taking the "plunge" and coming out, it has put me in touch with my feelings and has allowed me to express them in a "no holds barred" way.I am no longer ashamed of having these feelings as a man and have incorporated them into my overall self, so I'm able to express them no matter how I look.
Another thing is that it has helped me to develop my artistic ability and creativity in more ways than I can imagine. How else does an old geezer transform into an half decent looking "gal"? The sculpture is already in a block of granite or marble, it just takes the artist to mold it, define it and bring it out and the tools are nothing without being in his hands. Hey, I'm no Einstein and if I can do it, anyone can. We are only limited by our own imagination.Not to mention it's a lot of fun.
The third thing is that interacting with the LGBT Community has given me a new level of awareness and tolerance and realization of the fact that everyone is a person and a unique individual and is in no way limited by being a "thing" with a label. It's all about people being people really. Heart and soul go a long way in this "business."
Do I regret having done it? I can honestly say"No", even though it has not always been a bed of roses along the way and I've had my share of difficulties the same as everyone else. The biggest thing is, if I had not done it, I would not be the person I am today. That , in itself, makes it worth the effort to me.