Dear MC,
Thanks for your e-mail. It feels good to know you think I can do this, even if I don't believe I can. I hope that your faith in me will help me to have more faith in myself.

I know people on here talk about like reparenting sometimes, and I know that's not your methodology. And I know it's not like my parents were so bad, they just didn't give me what I needed emotionally. But some of how you are to me--it feels like that. I know, there's the whole paternal transference thing, but I feel like that was more me idealizing you as a father. This feels more like you're helping to heal some of the childhood wounds. Like giving me what I needed back then. By being you, not some idealized image. I just wish I could spend more than 45-60 minutes a week with you.

I love you. So much. And I feel like, even though you'd probably never actually say it (though at least you have said that you genuinely care about me), that on some level, you love me, too. In a platonic way, of course.
--LT