Take time for a Bruce Jenner moment

Bruce Jenner is an Olympic champion and a transgender person. Two days ago the world learned that he’s chosen to drop his male physicality and adopt the characteristics of the gender to which he’s always felt he belonged,  that of a woman.  The networks’ coverage of his interview with Diane Sawyer was respectful and informative.  Using his “coming out” as an opportunity to help people understand the nature of this transgender phenomenon, Bruce and Diane talked frankly and truthfully. In a way that listeners, myself included,  could better understand the deep pain that many transgender young people endure.

For me, it became a metaphor to further encourage me, and suggest to you,  to look for the Bruce Jenner within.  While my life has followed a much easier path, still there was an extent to which I was reminded of my efforts to live up to societal conventions and rules that didn’t make sense to my nature.  In some ways, I, and I dare to guess that others, too,  have  grown up with some true parts of themselves denied.

What struck me was Bruce’s admission (paraphrased) :  “I’m 65.  My kids are grown. I only have so many years left.  I’m not going to deny my true self any more, despite the extreme nature of this change I am making.  I want to finally be me.”

For my money, that statement is the take-away. For those of us, you and I, living in our third and possibly last chapter of life, take a moment with Bruce Jenner.  Ask yourself a couple of questions.

What are the deepest desires you have thus far been unwilling to act on?

Might there be sufficient inspiration from this man’s life, to access more of your own clarity and courage to do what you’ve always wanted, no matter what that may be?

 

Thank you, Bruce, for reminding us that it is never to late to “finally be me.”

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