A Day Well-Spent

I am still pondering how to rework the abandoned post I mentioned previously… but in the meantime I wanted to share a bit about my adventures on Saturday.

I am a bit of a music nut. (Just in case you hadn't noticed. lol) Folk and roots music are particular favorites. I was particularly excited this weekend because it meant attending one of my very favorite festivals.

Apart from the wonderful location and music, it is particularly meaningful to me because it was where, nearly one year ago to the day, that I came out for the first time, to my friends F, T, and J. Their unstinting support has been invaluable ever since (a full year, which we were all marveling at yesterday).

Once again I met F, T, & J there. It was the first time I'd seen T and J in over three months, so it was a treat-and-a-half to get to spend time with them. And I'm not saying that because I know they'll read this, either. :c)

The festival itself was terrific, as always. I discovered a soon-to-be favorite new band (The Deadly Gentlemen) and caught up with some current favorites (Dala and Patty Larkin, whose guitar playing is more astonishing than ever).

Oh, and I had the most I had the most awesome orange creamsicle cookie too. I told a friend last night that I'm typically not big on desserts, but that these could convince me to reconsider!

I also had two very cool… affirmations, I guess. Not quite sure what to call them, so that will have to do.

***

Affirmation # 1 occurred as I was walking with T & J to see Dala perform. We passed a local merchant's booth and I noticed an outfit hanging by the entrance - sort of a t-shirt & knee-length skirt combination.

I'm not really a clothes horse; not sure why. My sister says it's only because I haven't gone shopping with a pro (read: her) yet. :c) She's on vacation next week and has vowed to take me out and rectify this oversight. Stay tuned.

Anyway, I noticed this outfit out of the corner of my eye and thought to myself, "Oh, that's cute."

Literally an instant later, unprompted, J turned to me, pointed, and said, "That would look really cute on you, Cass." I replied that I had just noticed it too; she just smiled and patted my arm. Made me feel good to know my instincts are sound. :c)

I will, of course, inform my sister as much.

***

Affirmation # 2 actually happened first. It still has me shaking my head in wonder.

Once again I was walking past a line of vendor booths. I was cleaning my glasses as I walked, which meant everything was basically a blur. (I'm  really, really near-sighted.) For some reason I was drawn to one booth, I assume for the colors, since that was , for all intents and purposes, all I could see at that moment.

It turned out to be a local jeweler who also made ceramic goods. She had a striking collection of hand-made ceramic clocks, with sayings such as "It's time to dream" and "It's time to move" painted on them. They were quite beautiful.

I walked around to the other side of the booth and thought to myself, "I'd love one that says 'It's time to transition.'"

And as God is my witness, I looked down at that instant... and saw this:

Needless to say, I bought it on the spot. :c) I think fate had already decided matters for me, and who am I to tempt fate?

***

So, all in all, it was a wonderful day, one I didn't realize how I much I needed until I was there.

It is *so* important for us to spend time with friends while we're on our journey. That is, indirectly, part of the focus of the post I abandoned, in fact.

I no longer hide my feelings from those I care about; I simply cannot any longer. And it feels wonderfully liberating to be able to do so.

That said, I still have room for improvement when it comes to getting out and about, and spending more time with them. I spent a lifetime thinking I didn't dare let anyone see who I was, and I guess old habits are hard to break.

I mentioned to a friend the other night that at times it feels as if "he" is still fighting my transition, and trying to regain control. She assured me that this is simply part of the process, which was very reassuring.

Part of that is simply spending more time as myself, and with people who accept me as such. So I will work on that in the days and weeks to come.

For now, it was a pleasure to have yesterday.

***

Here's Patty Larkin performing "Traveling Alone." She did a mesmerizing version of this yesterday...

And here's Dala, performing "Lennon and McCartney." They did a completely charming version of this yesterday:

They are just cute as a button, aren't they? :c)