Unexpected reminders

[DeValInDisguise]

Have you ever been blindsided by a completely unexpected reminder of your past?  How did you deal with it?

Tonight my stepson gave my stepdaughter some old button down shirts he never wore because he outgrew them and my SD likes to wear big baggy shirts.  Well, it turns out they were my old work shirts, that I guess we gave to my SD because he needed them for something.  My SD sniffed one, exclaimed "Ew!  Guy smell!" (which she hates), and tossed it aside.  Being curious I decided to see how I reacted to the "guy smell".

It smelled like I used to, back before transition.  My SS had neither worn nor washed the shirt in the two years he had it.  I was stunned.  All I could do was stand there and cry.  I didn't realize it then, but I still had some mourning to do for the person I was and the man I couldn't be.

Val

[Rachel]

Have you ever been blindsided by a completely unexpected reminder of your past?  How did you deal with it?

Tonight my stepson gave my stepdaughter some old button down shirts he never wore because he outgrew them and my SD likes to wear big baggy shirts.  Well, it turns out they were my old work shirts, that I guess we gave to my SD because he needed them for something.  My SD sniffed one, exclaimed "Ew!  Guy smell!" (which she hates), and tossed it aside.  Being curious I decided to see how I reacted to the "guy smell".

It smelled like I used to, back before transition.  My SS had neither worn nor washed the shirt in the two years he had it.  I was stunned.  All I could do was stand there and cry.  I didn't realize it then, but I still had some mourning to do for the person I was and the man I couldn't be.

Val

I'm not sure if I will ever mourn my old self, never liked it.  Still, tough memories I would imagine.