Hello my friends, and happy Trans joy Thursday!
I'm not going to lie, today's newsletter is riddled with heavy feelings - yesterday was the 3 month mark of losing my Memaw, and I spent a lot of time yesterday reflecting on her life, our memories we made, and honestly? Just being sad and in mourning. It was definitely a heavy day, and some of that heaviness is still lingering.
With that said, I'm continuing to write to you today, because I want you to be reminded that in the face of heavy grief and feelings, there is still joy to be found. It may not feel like it, but it's there. We may have to spend a lot longer locating it, but it can be found. It reminds me of my transness - it took me a long time (roughly 30+ years) to come home to myself and feel authentically me - but as time passes, we evolve and we change. We find what makes us, us. And then we lean into it! And that, to me, is the epitome of why I write this newsletter every week. To intentionally lean in to the joys I found over the past week. To be a reminder to yourself that you are ALLOWED to be joyful in spite of the dumpster fire that may be around you. May you live in spite of this week, and every tomorrow after. You deserve that.
Some things that have brought me joy this week at a quick glance are:
My oldest auditioned last week for his first ever school play/musical, got a call back, and then was offered a role! He sang me a brief part of a song he will be singing and it just made my day. I love the arts (clearly) and I'm so proud that he has found something he enjoys doing. We must protect the arts at all costs so children for generations to come can have the pure excitement that he does about his play.
I received my signed/personalized copy of Cemetery Boys: Espiritu and it just lifted my spirits immensely that I get to immerse myself back into that story once more.
I get to see Don Martin IN GREEN BAY, this Saturday for his book Verity Vox And The Curse Of Foxfire. I am so excited because authors hardly come here, they usually go to Milwaukee or Madison, especially the queer authors, so I'm super stoked to get the chance to see him!
My pre-order from Tuma's Books of Elizabeth Acevedo's Anger Is Only A Shadow is supposed to arrive today and I cannot wait to read the physical copy - although, she narrates the audiobook, and she deserves all the awards for that!
I'm slowly beginning to get back into journaling again, and although it looks different for me right now, I'm still journaling, and that's still a win!
The weather is slowly getting cooler and our windows have been open for about a week, and I just love this time of year. It's truly my favorite.
I hope you all find moments of joy today - this week. I hope you find ways to honor yourself, your griefy/heavy feelings, and you get to relish in who you are as a human and your authenticity.
I hope you truly lean in to your joy and protect it at all costs. You deserve that for yourself.
I hope you all have a wonderful Thursday.
With all my trans joy,
Sawyer Cole
