Loving my therapist was incredibly healing. I like to say that he taught me how to love because before him I had never known this sort of pure, devoted love untainted by anger, hatred, or too much desire.

I lost him too, but the loss didn't harm me. It's incredibly painful, but there's no permanent damage. The pain and grief actually feel really healthy because for the first time I'm allowing myself to feel everything instead of trying to ignore it, which was how I used to deal with pain.