My Dear Friend Lust:

I am writing to you to finalize our relationship.

First, I want to thank you for all you have done for me over the years. You have brought me much pleasure and have helped me through many rough spots. You were my recreation, my escape, and my refuge from the storm, and I felt you were my best friend. It seemed that you always cared for me.

But you have also caused me great pain. You took away my ability to be intimate with anyone. You destroyed all three of my marriages. You took away my ability to practice my life’s profession, a profession that I loved and worked my whole life to achieve and perfect. You cost me over $2 million. You hurt many people in my life; especially those women who tried to love me. You hurt my children, my employees, those who would have been my friends. In fact you prevented me from having healthy friends. You took away my time, time that could have been spent with family, friends, music, the outdoors, reading a good book, or communing with God. You froze me in adolescence and took away my ability to grow. You tried to take my very soul.

People change. Times change. Places change. Attitudes change. I am now in a different place in my life. It is hard for me to say this; old relationships are comfortable and comforting. But I have to tell you that I no longer need nor want you in my life. I no longer want you for my friend.

You did the best you could. I know you are willing to continue to be my friend and to try to help me through life. But I now know that the “help” you have to offer me inhibits my growth as a human being. I know that sounds like psychological gobbledygook, but that is where I am today. I don’t ask you to understand, but I do ask you to accept who I am today.

Please do not respond to this letter, try to contact me, or try to influence me in any way. I need to make a total and clean break.

Yours in Reality,