Lesson learned

I did the right thing by going. 

People were extremely welcoming and some even shared their own personal struggles when I explained my battle with dysphoria. 

It couldn't have gone better and there were a few anecdotes which made me laugh as well. 

One of the brothers (my friend is the oldest of 10) thought I was one of my sisters and did a huge double take after finding out who I was. He had asked my friend right in front of me if I was coming and didn't realize I was standing right in front of him. I explained all later and being a doctor I wasn't the first transgender person to cross his path. 

The wife of the youngest sibling is 6'2" and absolutely lovely. She used to play basketball and asked me where I bought my shoes admitting she wears a woman's 13 and sometimes 14. So I wasn't the tallest one there. She also didn't realize I was transgender. 

People were kind, sympathetic and exceeded my expectations proving once again how we can be our own worst enemies when we cave into fear. Some of their own children are also LGBTQ and so no one batted an eyelash and simply rolled with the punches. 

I hadn't seen my friend's siblings for 15 years (since their mother's funeral) and it was like we had seen each other recently. Everyone was so glad that I was in a much calmer and better place. 

Lesson learned.