Inspired by TG Swapping Caps series Humans of the Great Shift
I never imagined I would celebrate the Fourth of July. I never imagined I would live in America, let alone become an American man. But the Great Shift changed everything.
Just months ago, I was Mr. Liu, a 60-year-old retired factory worker from Guangzhou. My body was weak, my knees ached, and I spent my days playing chess in the park with old friends. Now? Now, I was this—a young, powerful man with muscles I never dreamed of having.
I flexed my bicep, marveling at the strength beneath my skin. The sun blazed down on my bare chest as I stood on the beach, waves crashing behind me. People around me were celebrating, drinking, laughing. My friends now. They slapped my back, handed me beers, called me “Chad”—the name of the man whose body I now inhabited. I didn’t correct them.
This was my life now.
At first, it was overwhelming—the new language, the new customs, the sheer youth of it all. I had spent decades as an aging man, but now, I was in my prime. I could run without pain, eat without worrying about my health, and women looked at me with interest instead of pity.
As the day started to end and the night came to a start, the sky exploded with fireworks, red, white, and blue reflecting off the ocean waves. I raised my beer and grinned.
I had never cared about American independence before. But tonight? Tonight, I was free.
Happy Fourth of July everyone! Hope you all have a safe and fun holiday weekend!
