Dear Eric: I am a mid-70s, single gay man with no close family ties. I never imagined that anyone could or would want to love me, even when they were right there, showing me how much they cared.

I did three months of therapy via Zoom. It was helpful, but I was not able to admit to that therapist the emotional neglect that I had subjected my dying partner to (he passed from AIDS), how selfish I was in going about my life while he languished and eventually died. How I selfishly ignored his need for the love and support that could have made his last years so much better for him, and for me, had I stepped up for him. Honestly, I am so ashamed of myself, I think that the only way for me to truly open up to another person about all of this would be to hide in shame and sadness behind a mask, so

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