I was 16. I was riding in the backseat of a friend’s car. I reached for her hand. She pulled it away.
My life changed.
Nothing had happened. Well, except this: I violently agreed with her. Why would anyone want me to touch them? Of course I had been wrong to do it, I should have known better. She reacted as all girls would, and as I knew, or should have known, she would.
I was beyond angry, but I was not angry with her. I was angry at myself. Because I had wanted something I was not built to ever get. I was filled with self loathing, because of what I was.
Girls have their own problems of course. Many of them have to face violence, violence from guys who don’t react to rejection the way I did. The psychology of male decency requires consistent application of principles, the leading one of which is this: to never attempt to take what is not yours.
Even enraged as I was, I had no thoughts of wanting to cause anyone harm. But I hated myself with an almost unbearable intensity. I was repulsive. How could I not know that?
The end result of this was a strong desire not to ever have that feeling ever again. So, I became completely unwilling to initiate any kind of physical contact or relations, even with women I was dating, or, ultimately, married to. Bluntly, the joy of acceptance (and sex) paled compared to the agony of rejection.
Another result of this, completely unforeseen, is that I have hundreds of female friends, all of whom love the fact that I never come on to them.
Because I’m such a decent guy, they think.
❤️👏🏻 I’ve sensed it from the first read. Thank you for being a good guy.
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What they don’t know and all that 🙂
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“Bluntly, the joy of acceptance (and sex) paled compared to the agony of rejection.” i think this attitude is equally felt by both genders. Only our society has instilled different expectations for who the initiator in a relationship will be. It all makes it so complicated to be in any relationship. It makes my head spin. I’m glad you’re you.
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