How the world twirled for me

It was Feb 2007 and I'm fortunate to live in an area where there is an active TG community. I did some research and found out there was an event near me I could go and feel safe stepping out my first time. This was a Renaissance meeting near Philadelphia. With the support of my wife I decided to go. When the day came my wife took the kids out to dinner which gave me time to do make up and prepare myself for this momentous event. I did what I needed to do, got in the car and headed to this meeting. Once there I was completely underwhelmed with what was going on. Don't get me wrong, I respected what they do there, however I was at the time already going to a counselor. I was looking for something different, something more. Renaissance is more of a support group, I was looking for a more social thing. So after a few hours of girls discussing their troubles of growing up confused, came time to actually meet and talk to those who attended the meeting. At that time I  met so many great girls who then invited me to go to this restaurant where something called a" laptop party" event occurs. This is a place where you can go to socialize and let lose, a place where you can dance, a place where you can truly socialize and be as you feel as you should be. That was what I  desired that what was what I so desperately needed. This place, this event, where I could feel so comfortable just being,  was the launching place to my understanding of who Mel really is. I met so many great girls that night,  girls who to this day I still talk to and hang with. True friends who have helped me be ME. If that night had not happened as it did, I'm not sure where I'd be today....