Making a Change

Welcome to day 15 of BlogFest 2012!  Today’s host is Claudia from The Story.  She has provided a picture for our writing prompt and this blog is my contribution.

     When I was in high school I remember my humanities teacher telling a story about one of his former students.  I imagine it is fairly common when you are a teacher for a former student to seek you out and say hello, especially if you made a difference in their life.    At the time my teacher also was an active member of the city’s symphony orchestra.  It was at one of his concerts where this former student approached him.

       

       At the time I was in his class he already had taught for quite a few years and had educated quite a few people.  After the concert he was approached by this young lady who seemed extremely excited to see him.  She came up and told him that he had been one of her favorite teacher’s.  While he conversed with Josie he racked his brain to remember her as a teenager in one of his social studies classes.  For the life of him he simply couldn’t place her.  After more conversation, she sensed that he didn’t remember her.  She laughed.  I have to be perfectly honest with you.  When I was in your class, my name was Joe.  My teacher said his mouth dropped in shock.  She proceeded to explain that she never felt comfortable or happy as a boy, so she made the decision to have a sex change operation and become what she was always meant to be…a liberated woman.  Making changes in life can be scary but so liberating.  I can’t imagine the courage it took for this person to follow their instincts and make such a drastic change.  As Joe, he never found happiness but as Josie the world opened up like a flower and life became worth living.
  

       After he told this tale to the class, we were all as shocked as he had been.  He told the story to illustrate that people can and do change, maybe not as drastically as Josie did, but change they do and we should all find it in our hearts to embrace them and their changes until next time when I give you another glimpse into the life of a trucker’s wife.