LETTER TO LOVEFRAUD: He is asking for forgiveness

Editor’s note: The following article was sent by the Lovefraud reader who posts as “Jov77.” It is actually a letter that Jov77 received from a former friend, who he now believes is disordered. Jov77 has stopped contact with this person. He’s looking for help in making sense of the letter. (The comments in parentheses are explanations by Jov77.)

The letter below was just given to me  from this friend I have been closely associated with for some years now.  I had numerous challenges in the friendship which left me drained and exhausted so I wrote a letter expressing some thoughts. In the letter I did not ask him for anything in relation to making the friendship better.  This person is disordered in character but there are traits that are sociopathic. He might even be a socio based on what he revealed about himself to me over the years.

He wrote:
To be honest I don’t remember all that was said on the paper to me in writing, but however, a line that I remembered you said that, “God. He is the only one can help me.” (I said to him that only God can help in our situation.)  To cut everything short it is not that I don’t appreciate you as a person or a friend.  It’s just that at times I have to make my own decisions and mistakes. I can’t be always taking advice from you.  How do you think am gonna make the right choice in life for myself. I have made some crucial decisions in life where I have gained knowledge from them and experience also, where they let me become as hard as stone on the outside but on the inside I am a human with feelings and emotions and they are pretty much alive.  (After almost four years now, I am yet to see those feelings and emotions that are alive. He will help people in a big way. If that is referred to as feelings and emotions alive then I can’t question it.)

(This is a 28 yrs old man saying):  I was young and inexperienced even up to last year.  I might speak mature but a part of me was still a child and even though we have not said much to each other for the past couple of months it helped me a lot to become a man to look back at some of my relationships that broke up.  I was struggling in them.  Reason being. Knowing right from wrong and claiming that I am serving God and still chose to do the wrong.  I was fooling myself and been a damn idiot; that was why when we spoke I said that I can no longer be fooling myself and others and play games.  (The right from wrong and fooling self meant that as a church man and leader in the church he was still sexually promiscuous and toying with the head and emotions of females both in and outside of the church. He is in training to be promoted to the highest position at his church.  That might have brought about some consciousness on his part.)

I appreciate you as a person and a friend.  Not because you never hear me say it.  Also, your attributes — you did not throw them like pearls to be trampled upon like a pig; but to say that the affection you show me at times it is way too much and it makes me think different.

You are a good friend and also a good person and for me I appreciate that about you.  But also, I want to say  I’m sorry if I hurt you in any way  that I know about.  I am asking you for your pardon — and that which I know not of, I am asking you also for your forgiveness.  In life we all make mistakes some we do know and just do care about, others we just didn’t see it as hurting someone.  Just to say it is a part of life and we make them but I am simple saying thanks for your open arms in my times of need.  I appreciate it and yes I appreciate you.  And, also thanks for been a good or a wonderful friend or person to me when I was not to you.