" "I believe it, mom. You arevery beautiful." Mom took me to a special lunch that day and everywherewe went I was complimented on my appearance and lo...ks. This was sodifferent than my life before as a boy.Finally Friday had come and mom had agreed I was well enough that Icould go to Karen's for a sleepover. I was so excited I almost forgotto pack some essentials like toothbrush and toothpaste. Karen and I hadbeen getting along so well. It was as if we had known each other a muchlonger. She said that Gene felt that she had totally destroyed our marriage and didn’t deserve anything from me. Debora also wanted a private letter back herself on what I felt. ‘It took me two days to open it. It was 3 pages long and evidently tear stained. I still ave it somewhere. Gene owned all that she had done and went beyond all she had done that night. She also told me what she was learning about herself in therapy these couple of months and apologized for much of the way she had been. Making sure I was clean and decent (as much as I could be given the situation) I left the bathroom, closed the door behind me and made my way to the back room and the waiting men. Graham, Phillip, Bob and Ned were all standing next the back window talking when I came in. They all had fresh glasses of wine and seemed distracted by whatever they were talking about. I looked back over to the couches and there was Jack and Steve, sitting on the same couch with a space in between them. Steve was. It is a never-ending cycle of moving forward. To Me, the common ground is adventure, peace and happiness, a constant exploration, living life with gusto and pleasure and living with ALL that I am. How can I not do so James? Without a love of life, I would whiter slowly and die. And to what end would that be? A total loss of life? A beaten and down trodden soul which would have forgotten how to love? No James My friend, I shall remain strong not for Myself, but for her. So that upon her return.