“anytime you challenge yourself and step out of your comfort zone,
you’re going to grow from it.” – chaz

OWN brought us more original programming this month with Being Chaz, a follow-up to the award winning Becoming Chaz  that aired earlier this year.  Through the eyes of the video camera, we get to see how normal life is for everyone in every situation.  Financial pressure.  Family pressure.  Life pressure.   The one lesson that spoke to me the entire hour of this wonderful piece was how we are all so similar and how we all share pieces of the same story…we just sometimes use different words.  It’s life.

Being Chaz brings us a little insight into life and how it’s progressing for Chaz and Jennifer in the world.  Living through the transition is only part of the journey because as Chaz finally feels that he is free to be who he is, the rest of the world all have their own opinions.  Just as you go through your own life, people have opinions.  Similar, just using different words.  Just like the rest of us, they are a work in progress and are moving through life and all of the bumps in the road as best as they can.

While Chaz tries to stand taller and stronger and represent what “transgender” looks like in the world, he makes the decision to challenge himself a little more with taking on Dancing with the Stars.  With his manager telling him, “we need to prepare for what people might say,” Chaz shows us he’s just another guy who is moving through life.  This time, with a professional dance partner and some music in tow.  “I’m thrilled that he’s doing it!” Jen shares as she tries to get Chaz healthy with mystery juices and liquid algae drinks – like a liquid kryptonite that will protect Chaz from the controversy and hate that erupts.  Life is similar, just different words.  Just like the rest of us, we have haters and mean people that come into our lives with their darkness and negativity along with them to light fires all around us.  It’s how we walk through (or dance through) this fire that makes us stronger.

Finally, the other real pieces  sprinkled in the hour were the relationships that Chaz has and his journey through them.  Chaz and his fiance, Jen, and their love and struggle as they both bravely walk down different paths hand in hand.  Chaz – sober for 7 years and his path to put a face to the transgender community.  Jen who is sober now, but admits that this has been difficult and she drank through the whole transition.  It hasn’t been easy for either of them.  Just like the rest of us who have had someone with addiction in their own lives or who have had major changes in their lives – first hand or with a loved one.  Life is not always easy…that’s why it’s given to us one day at a time.

And my heart note in all of this – Chaz and his mom.  To him, she’s mom.  To the world, she’s Cher.  Her love and support that is shown for her child is love in action.  Cher, just like many parents in the world, has made her journey as a mom with many twists and turns.  In this hour we see what it really means to love a child.  You love them all the time, anyway you can and for as long as you can.  Twitter feed and all, this mom is amazing.  Just like the rest of us who have pushed our parents to limits even they can’t imagine and they are still there or those who have felt the unconditional love from anyone in the world, it’s amazing.  Relationships are not always easy, but always ALWAYS worth it.

Throughout the hour, there are little pieces of the personal journey that Chaz is going through like Chaz getting Jen a ring that he and she are proud of,  the pre-nup line of no drinking that’s causing big problems, the dinner party with grandma, family and friends, the dancing aches and pains and ice packs and the haters and death threats from being on Dancing with the Stars but here is what I saw through this.  Chaz and Jen are amazing and strong people.  Just like the rest of us who wake up each morning and hope for an easy day with little drama.  Just like the rest of us who hope that the world is a better place because we were here.  Just like the rest of us who are doing our best…one day at a time.  Being Chaz reminds us to stop looking for what makes us so different…and start seeing what makes us so much the same.