70forseventy

  This isn't an easy story to write, but it's one that needs to be told both to honour a life that has come to an end, and because the story underpins much of my own life for the last few years. It's a major factor in who I am and am becoming today, and in the choices I'm making for my seventyfor70 experience. And it's not something I want to sit on it for the rest of my life - I'd sooner be open, and known for who I am and what I've experienced. The unlived life isn't mine, but J's, and it's one that he chose to end - one evening, in the swimming pool at home while I was out - just over a month ago. I realised a long time ago that J had issues that made it impossible for him to connect with other people, and with the world he lived in, in the way that others do. Although as a humanistic therapist I really don't like psychiatric labels, there is no doubt that he had what's known as schizoid personality disorder (SPD). People with this dis...