to lose our jobs and futures. Let us hope future generations will find matters easier. We may not see the day that homosexuals are accepted, but we can try to make it easier for others so they won't have the many problems that we have at the present time.

I hope this letter will be of help to someone. I thank you for your time.

Dear B. C.:

A friend, B. C.

Your letter touches one of the commonest complaints of homophiles -that of loneliness. Yet this is not the unique problem of homophiles alone. In the bisexual and heterosexual realms there is a host of old maids, bachelors and even many married people who suffer from a profound sense of loneliness, isolation and lack of soul satisfying companionship. This condition seems to be associated with a sense of being different. It may be the price we must pay if we are to go higher up the scale of human evolution emerging from the state of being a herd animal and becoming aware of one's self as a unique creature-one who dares to walk alone. Since homophiles are generally considered to be "different" it is to be expected that they will feel a sense of separateness. It seems to me there is just no answer to the problem other than going deep into one's own self awareness seeking for self understanding and self acceptance. I have known supreme loneliness at times and the only answer I have found is that by accepting myself, with all my own peculiarities and quirks, I have felt more at peace with myself and lo!-there I found others all around me who had walked the lonely road and were delighted to find another human being had had

experiences similar to their own and could speak their own language. There may be people all around us. who would make delightful companions but if we are so involved in our own self concern or are trying so hard to find the "right" one, we pass him by in our over zealous persuit of our "ideal". When we can begin to take ourselves less seriously, it is surprising how many we run into who have had similar experiences to our own. Perhaps we aren't as unique as we think we are!

Recently I had a splendid letter from a remarkably understanding young homophile who had considerable therapy with me a few years ago. He is a talented and successful young man who has very good insight into homosexual problems. He has come a long way toward self acceptance yet he is keenly aware of the unfinished realms within him as he works away at his own personal philosophy. He

writes:

"Learning to live with myself is still quite a problem. I'm not sure how or what to accept as the mode of things for my kind. Lately I've met some great guys-all gay-and have found wonderful satisfaction in having their friendship. One in particular has become a close comfort. In fact for a while I couldn't see straight for wanting him so badly. In desperation I took the proverbial bull by the horns and told him how I felt. This was before I knew he was gay! What a chance to take! He was very honest by telling me that he was true to another boy in Europe to whom he was returning this year. I told him that I'd rather have his friendship than his body. So this is the way we standa solid situation.

"But being lonely is a big problem. I'm sure I could find the answer in myself if I just had a lead thought, but have been pretty muddled in this area. Just going to bed with a boy