Blooming Through the Darkness
A year before the world turned upside down, my then-5th-grade middle child bravely came out as transgender to me. He faced a lot of questions and bullying from classmates, and ignorance from grandparents that resulted in having no contact with them for almost a year.
This shy, kind-hearted boy was trying to live as who he felt inside, but struggled with anxiety and the heaviness of depression at just 12 years old. On the heels of the COVID-19 pandemic, my beautiful Will confessed he’d been resorting to self-harm, had recurring suicidal thoughts, and had attempted to overdose on sleeping medication. My heart imploded, realizing he had been feeling so isolated and so deeply hurting.
After lots of crying and hugs and talking and me checking on him while he slept and therapy and medication, over the next few months Will started to come back. But I wanted to make a significant gesture to show how much I love him and what a permanent, positive impact he makes on my life.
He loves to draw, so I asked him to be the artist for what would be my first tattoo at age 40. We decided on cherry blossoms because they symbolize that the way things are is only temporary; bad thoughts and feelings don’t have to last, and the people you love in life should be cherished while they are with us.
Will designed the piece, and just from a photo Josh brought it to life. Now Will is with me wherever I go, and the cherry blossom tattoo reminds both of us that he is important and beautiful and worth fighting for. I’m proud to say Will has now been 3 years harm-free and has grown into an open, outgoing teenager who advocates for his peers and is outspoken about transgender issues and mental health. ❤️