It's Not Too Difficult of a Notion...

He used to be a she, and I liked him.  He was cool.  He was kind, and thoughtful, and seemed to have gobs of perspective.  I liked the kid.

That's how my day started.  A lot of my days are like that, and it makes me think more deeply about the rest of my world, and where we all fit, and how we all fit, and what's the point, and about a billion other things and this was where our conversation led today.  When he asked me about my kids I thought, "I just want them to be happy."

When his face lit up even I could feel the joy from five feet away, and it struck me that there are people who don't find any solace or comfort in that face, in that unadulterated happiness.  Some people just find a #$%ked up situation...in a smile...in that wide, cheek squishing smile...some people obviously see something different than what I see.  I saw someone who was happiest when they were able to be themselves and laugh and talk and make ridiculous jokes about ridiculously serious things.  I saw a happy boy.  They saw someone trying not to be a girl.  I like my version better.

I just want Zoey and Maggie to be good people, and be happy.  I want them to find purpose and comfort, and stability, and with all of that, happiness.  I don't much care how we're achieving that.  I just want to see their cheeks squish with smiles, and I want them to understand how much I love them.  I want them to care about other people, and embrace the affection of good people, not bad, and I want them to be optimistic, and to believe in things, and to try hard to change things, but mostly I just want them to be happy.

I sat and talked for an hour with a girl who is now a boy today.  He was happy, at least in that moment, and it struck me hard how a lot of people might never see his smile because they were less interested in it than they were his gender.  That's f#$%ed up.

I see it every day in nearly every situation that I find myself in.  People overlook the most simple of ingredients in a life well worth living...happiness.  I don't care who Maggie and Zoey find themselves being, or loving, or what they are feeling about themselves, as long as they're happy.

The best part of the day?  When the boy stood up and walked away he turned back and said unabashedly, "I bet you're a really good Dad."  He hesitated just a moment and walked out of the room, closing the door gently behind him.  I hope he's right.