I feel so conflicted in my own situation. My parents are generally supportive, but they’re also sad and grieving. While I don’t personally understand their sadness, I can sort of see why, in their situation, they might be feeling it. It hurts a lot knowing that my happiness is hurting them, and at the same time, they don’t get to choose their emotions. They can however choose how they respond to those emotions. I think grieving and sadness is okay, as long as they’re supportive & open to growing

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I’m very conflicted with this. Like we call it a deadname for a reason. The person you used to be no longer exists, the person they spent years of their lives raising is now a completely different person. I could imagine that is quite a emotional event in the midst of things.

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The process of transitioning, with the fast moments and the slow ones, is impossible to analyze emotionally in just a few words. Complexity isn’t bad, and in complexity we can often find room for grace and empathy. I love and find joy in my daughter. She’s both amazing and a pain in my ass, the way all children are. But that does not mean I don’t miss my son. I loved and found joy in him too. He was amazing and a pain in my ass too. My missing him does not take away from my loving her.

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