Walking on eggshells

One thing we discover pretty early in life is that we can't make everyone happy. We can't even achieve that for ourselves but we need to try because by increasing our own well being, everyone else benefits from our calm.

Many older trans people developed a particular gift for self flagelation borne out of a need to apologize for even existing. That invariably brought with it patterns of needing to navigate the world almost walking on eggshells which included trying to escape detection (whether in denial or not). This is fatiguing but also futile for if you are someone steeped in identity, you eventually realize that as a zebra you cannot become a fox (perhaps a poor analogy but understand me). 

When I read narratives of despair it fills me with sadness because there is considerable joy to be had simply in being who we are.