The aftershock of an earthquake can sometimes be as disturbing as the initial quake itself but sometimes peace and calm can come after it all settles down and this is clearly true after one comes out completely to one’s spouse or significant family member about one’s plans to transition and live life as I believe I always was meant to live it - but for getting the wrong dang body parts. Last week the initial shockwave hit when I leveled my wife of 24 years (guess we will end up one short of that silver wedding anniversary huh?) with the news of my desire to fully transition and live life as I was always meant to live it- as a woman. She started angry and accusatory but when she did not get the usual Russell defensive counterattack, she seemed to calm down some. Instead, my wife found a person of great anguish and pain who never raised her voice and calmly (when I was not crying) explained it as best as I could and then provided her with a detailed letter of my life in a shell and what all is going on and will go on in my life as I fully transition to live my life as Melissa who I always have been. She expected Russell when she first began but instead she found Melissa. As our two hour conversation wore on and more tears were shed her anger turned to compassion and quiet solitude and then later to nearly a peaceful contemplation. During this process, she even held me and hugged me as we both shed tears without holding back. It was the first time we had held each other for so long in such a great while and that is something I do deeply regret! I love hugs – they feel so good! Since our first discussion we have actually hugged each other several more times.
I know there is much pain and anguish to come as this unravels even more and we ultimately separate and divorce and get to deal with the pain of lawyers (I need contact with them about as much as I need these little shrinking lumps that hang in a tiny sack nestled in my panties that will be severed someday soon- who knows… maybe the leeches err… I mean lawyers will take care of that for me!). I am anxious to begin a new life living it as I always should have lived it -as Melissa. I am sure there will some tense moments between us but I also think that in time we may be able to even function as friends. I will look out for her and I hope she finds peace and happiness in her life- I truly do! I regret deeply the pain I have caused her and I pulled away from her the last several years as Melissa emerged again with a vengeance. (I guess that is what happens huh when you stick someone in a shell for so long and live in denial and repression and pretend you are someone you are not?). The day after our talk I felt closer to her than I had felt in years! When she looks at my eyes now I think she understands and sees the pain and anguish I suffered for so long and even understands why I must go where I must go in my life while she rebuilds hers. She is a sweet, warm, intelligent and caring person (why I married her in the first place) and I think she understands or will understand more fully in time and maybe why we could someday be friends. I think she would like Melissa. She just simply cannot make the leap and go with me on my journey as my wife- a journey I believe she now knows I must make to free my soul! There have been times of peace and empathy this week but at other times things have been cold and icy as well. That is an aftershock but it subsides and she is back to talking with me. We have talked two times since the initial discussion including another two hour chat on Thursday in which we reached basic agreement on divorce terms and each of us have met with a lawyer and this discussion is not ugly or cut throat but we just want to split it up and move on. We may even agree to no alimony and the kids are adults so there is no child support. We worked on plans to retire some debts before we move on. I know there will be many more little aftershocks and few more rumbling tremors before any of this is all over but she is trying. No voices were raises and we either talked calmly or cried some more but we held each other and talked some more. By the third chat we actually even laughed a few times and despite the fact she could not believe it herself we actually discussed makeup and fashion. She told me we had talked more and held each other more this week than we had in last two years and she is right. I told her that is what happens when barriers are torn down between two people. She is talking with Melissa now …the shell is collapsing into rubble……
When she looks at me now it with understanding of my pain and what hell I have been going through and with a bit more love and kindness. I know there are spouses who despise their husbands transitioning and believe somehow that TS people can somehow be “cured” of being such by some magic wand and live life happily as a man. I sense that my wife is not one of those people and knows that this is real and where and why I must go on my journey. More tense moments will come as the aftershocks roll in but hopefully our structures will stay in place and peace can be found. Hopefully, we will become friends and support each other and our children as they venture through life. Just because she cannot come along for the ride with me does not mean she wants me to be unhappy or not be who I am as a person! Her eyes have met mine several times this week and she sees the pain and anguish in my eyes. Sometimes the eyes shine some shivers of chills too. I never know which to expect. Maybe she now sees through that ugly shell which created such a barrier between us and she sees deeper into the real me. The aftershocks of this quake will continue but maybe peace and calm is not as far away as I once thought and the rebuilding process can begin in our lives. The peace that comes after the shocks and ripples are all over enables an entity to begin the rebuilding process. We are on that road to recovery.
I know that if my friend Barbara Ann were still with us she would have had some profound but comforting words for me on all this-that I have no doubt. Here are the words she wrote to me following my blogs on coming clean and family responses which I wrote a few weeks ago as I prepared for what transpired this week:
Transition is a fire walk, for sure. My wife has outed me to everyone in a 50 square mile area, or so it seems. She has hit me, thrown my PowerBook at me, has taken my girls out of our home - to I know not where - for over a month. She has drained our checking account. And on, and on. Now we both are weary, like two boxers who have gone 17 rounds. You are going into some very emotionally charged territory, kiddo. Just answer their questions, don't respond to their emotions. You can do that in your car after your meetings with your family. Or vent to your friends, who are many. Love- -Barb
Not surprisingly immediately after this emotional disclosure for two hours to wife last weekend I immediately got in the car and cried out and called my sisters for support. Barb knew me very well and her words always comforted me. She left me messages nearly everyday of hope, love and inspiration. Her humor and wit and love and compassion for others was endless and she will be sorely missed by all who knew her …… for if you knew her…you loved her! Her heart was five times the size of her body! Rest in sweet peace girl!
In Loving Memory of Barbara Ann Eftimiades…….March 13, 1953 –July 19, 2008! Her picture is set forth above............................
Thanks to all my sisters who have comforted me this week as I need your support and love and I offer mine to you as well-always!. Our sisterhood and friendship is very important to me and I will always cherish it so much as I continue my journey in life! If anyone ever needs to talk, please reach out to me or another sister-PLEASE! Hugs! Melissa
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