If you are feeling suicidal.....

[SheilaT]

31. I told him that. I told him that his father and I can help out financially.

His specific circumstances are also universal. He has been unable to establish a relationship, not since his college romance ended, now five years ago. He, like so many, harbors huge self doubts about his attractiveness and desirability. I'm Mom, and I don't want to be creepy, but if it's true that you can tell a lot about a young man by how he treats his mother, he treats me very well. I visited him last summer -- the first time I'd seen him in nearly four years, and it was a great visit. He spent his days off with me, we did sight-seeing and talked about various things.

But I can't begin to fill the void he feels by not having a meaningful relationship in his life. And I do know how he feels, since it took me forever to establish one myself. I was over thirty before I met his dad, the man I'd be married to for 25 years. In the years before I only had a handful of boyfriends/relationships, and I know exactly how it feels to think no one will ever care. But I can't fix it. I can't fix him. I can only offer him love and emotional support and hope he can get through it.

His roommate, who called me up a few days ago, cares a lot, thinks a great deal of my son, and I'm hoping that will help.

Thank you for reading this.