Desperately Seeking a Mentor (not sure where to post this)

[m1anderson]

Okay, I have joined a couple of online communities and the resources Susan's community has provided are amazingly valuable. I have cried, laughed and learned so much being here and having a look into your lives.

I am very lucky to have the resources and healthcare to aid in the process for both diagnosing my issues and further aiding me to begin my journey soon. I am currently very indebted to both my therapist and psychologist for their very compassionate transgender knowledge in helping me acknowledge my great difficulties throughout my life and the powerful support they provide.

The great difficulty for me are specific for age, station in life and community, conservative family and their ability to comprehend, the possibility for inevitable detachment of the nuclear and extended family, business and professional affiliation. I realize we all have some subsets that connect at some levels for all our great difficulties and challenges, I am hoping, albeit perhaps somewhat selfishly, for a go to girl, close to me age (53) that has very successfully played the role of the highly prominent alpha male while living the lie and feeling the daily pain and ultimately finally accepts the need to change. I have so many life questions that need to be asked and answered that I know taking bits and pieces from all others stories is impersonal and unrealistic. I need a shoulder to cry on and someone to share my great positive moments; an advocate and a devil's advocate, someone that can pragmatically help me soldier on.

I am so scared to start and more scared not to.

I had one great mentor early in my career ( a "Dickie Fox") that made me the person professionally that I am today, and have paid forward to many more since all the years as owner/Boss/CEO and am looking for the life Mentor I know will help me over the next couple of years of tears and laughs.

I look forward to the day I can pay it back to those beginning the road behind me.

Please help. My professionals can help but certainly they cannot relate.

[Jessica Merriman]

I am a 49 year old retired Paramedic/Firefighter. If I can ever help out just PM me. Trust me I know the pressure of an alpha male career and how the community views someone in my former position. Ever need to vent or anything at all you know where I am! 

[LizMarie]

I am 57 years old. I have legally transitioned, just recently in fact. It took me two years to get here. I went slower than I wanted to try to make things work. It didn't matter. I've not seen nor spoken to some of my grandchildren in nearly 27 months. My two sons refuse to speak to me, except in disdainful, deliberately hurtful tones. Despite trying, my spouse gave me zero room to negotiate - her way or else.

But having been to the brink of suicide and not wanting to go back I knew I had to transition, so I did. There have been losses, grief, and I've learned to live with it. I gave up what I discovered was a codependent relationship. I discovered true friends who are true family, not the lie that blood is thicker than water.

I was a soldier for eight years. I've been a software engineer for 30. I was a nationally licensed youth soccer coach and coached youth soccer for several years in my spare time. I am well off financially, not rich, but comfortable.

If you need someone with whom to talk, feel free to send me a PM.

[mrs izzy]

There are many here that truly are mentors.

I would suggest you try and find a girl local that you can talk with face to face.

The personal contact is invaluable.

In the time between feel free to pick anyone of our brains.

Hugs