piciously, the bad choice of friends and, above all, the machinations of the older woman.

By the time she was ready to tell me, I had gone through the worst part of discovering she was different and was able to listen calmly, even to reassure her that I still loved her. Little by little we saw more of ane another and our former good relationship emerged again from our common doubts and fears, although many times after I had seen her the old resentments and guilts reasserted themselves. My doctor, who knew quite a bit about my emos. tional state, kept insisting that love for another person was the most important thing to hold on to; that if she were crippled or blind it would have made no difference to my love for her.

I am happy to say that, after four years, we are more friendly, trusting, and, above all, understanding about one another's problems than we had ever been before. Wo are able to talk freely about her life in the homosexual world without either of us getting upset or backing uway from any of the facts. I have met her friends. I understand a good deal about her past that had puzzled and upset me.

I have no set solution to the problem of averting a bitter termination of family relationships or such a strained relationship that it gives neither side any real satisfaction. I can offer only observations and some rather vague conclusions I have drawn from my own experience.

Parents should be more alert for signs of emotional disturbance and their cause. They should learn something about homosexuality. If the discovery comes as a shock, without any prior preparation, they should get good professional help, as much for themselves as for the girl.

Above all, they should try to keep in mind that the girl has probably been going through a most confused and confusing period; that an attempt to understand or at least to withhold judgment will do more gold than any amount of breast-beating or hair-pulling.

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