i watched this documentary recently with my daughter. 

we laughed. got angry. i cried. we talked about the truly open hearted people in the world. i cried. 

harper steele and will ferrell have been friends for 30 years. harper recently came out as a trans woman and is adjusting to her new life which of course includes the lost and found that comes with any change or transformation, not to mention a change that could promote either the unconditional support of most or the harmful, undeserving and unrequested opinions of outsiders.

because she loves to travel, will suggests they take a cross country road trip, mainly stopping in small towns.

of course traveling with will ferrell softens harper’s entrance into new situations and candid conversations with strangers…

but my word. what. a. friend. 

i’ve thought so much about the film and the relationship and the grace that flowed through what we see of their time together-toward each other and for the most part to the strangers they encounter.

i wonder…

would you embrace your beloved friend as they entered a new unknown like this?  pack a cooler of snacks and take off on a road trip to ask good and hard questions, stand right next to them to support them and behind them to catch them as they maneuver a new life?

would you lean in to understand?

would you love them into healing and empower them to walk confidently into the “ordinary” life they crave, make them laugh or laugh with them and would you sit next to them in a lawn chair under the wonder of the setting sun and weep with them, for them or better yet…for the change you see in yourself?

do we shelter each other and bind wounds and offer to walk before them to soften their journey through the fear of not belonging?

don’t we all just need a hand on the small of our backs gently guiding us into our true selves?

watching this felt sacred-as if i was seeing the love that Jesus entrusted to us exhibited in an imperfect and tender way.

this film is filled with flawed humans encountering flawed humans and it’s a reminder that we are all woven together…for better or worse but probably for the good.

it’s about acceptance, vulnerability, courage and benevolence. 

a beautiful story.  

a beautiful friendship. 

i hope we become a people who love each other back.

ru.