Reply To: Life as the son of a Child Molester: My story

happiest, I can’t imagine what that must be like to have to see him every day. And you still show him respect! Whether or not he even deserves that respect, you are truly emulating G-d by doing that. Most people, myself included, wouldn’t be able to really give complete respect in such a situation. I try to respect my father, but I find it very difficult sometimes.

And you are not being pathetic! From everything I’ve seen in you, you are one of the most amazing people I know, and you deserve admiration and respect from everyone. It just seems that when you are going through particularly rough times, you have a lapse in your self-esteem, which then makes things even harder. So just know how much we admire and respect you, and realize yourself how special you are, and hopefully when you have these rough patches, you’ll still have the confidence to pull through with your head high. And about this friend, you said he is waiting for you to do something, but you’re scared to do it. You don’t need to tell us what it is, but think about the pros and cons of doing it versus not doing it. If it’s something you are scared to do but will rekindle your friend’s support, maybe that support from him is worth it. Again, I don’t know what it is, but from what I’ve seen in you, you have the ability to go through the worst possible circumstances and still come out with a positive attitude.

Hopefully, this friend will come around, but in the meantime, know that all of us here are eager to help.