Just when I started to doubt myself again and wonder whether I made the right decision to follow my passion I happened upon encouragement in the flesh. She wondered if she was the answer to my prayers for clarity and direction – all of which in my opinion went unanswered. I sat next to her on a plane for almost 3 hours without saying a word. Then I became frustrated with sitting there – my legs falling asleep and asked the flight attendant “how much longer?” He told me one hour and a half. Perhaps sensing my uneasiness she assured me that we only had about half an hour left; she was right. She asked me about my trip and where I was headed. She asked me about my profession and if I was happy. I told her of my desire to transition and make a living following my passion. I told her how upsetting it is when my well-meaning family and friends try to steer me away from the idea. Her answer was to the point and comforting. She said “will you regret it if you don’t do this?” Yes I answered. She said “well follow your passion because the worst thing will be to have regret at the end of your life. Find a way to roll your current career into what you love either by volunteer or contract work. If it doesn’t work then you can always come back to what you’re doing now but you have to pursue this otherwise you will never know.” It turns out that she has been advising students at a prestigious university for over 30 years on their career paths. When I received the airline’s email to check-in online I tried several times to change my seat. I finally gave up and reluctantly settled for that seat and it turned out that this particular seat was meant for me. Coincidence? I think not! So, I’m back in the saddle.