I am now in my 60s and have been 'emotionally disabled' for most of my life. I suspect it's because I was hospitalised at the age of 4. In those days parents were only allowed into the ward for an hour a day and, as a result, the bond was broken between me and my mother. Years later, I overheard her telling someone else that: "When he came out of hospital he pushed me away".

When I got into my teens and early 20s I found it impossible to form close relationships with women of my own age (there were platonic friendships but nothing else). Love and marriage happened to other people - but not to me. At the time, I put this down to very, very low self-esteem (no-one would be interested in an inadequate wretch like me) but it was only years later (in my 50s) that I realised that I had been pushing women away - as I had my mother all those years before. Eventually, I met someone through a dating agency. We were together (sort of - there were complications) for 4 years but it didn't last - mainly, I suspect, because she had issues to.

Nevertheless, I survived and somehow, despite the self-esteem issues, got myself a decent job - which paid enough to allow me to buy a house and, eventually, to provide me with a decent pension. Now I'm retired and living alone in my own, paid for, house.

When I retired, I decided to devote my time to my passion - which is nature conservation. I seem to have been more successful than I ever dreamed possible - which has done wonders for my self-esteem! I'm also a member of a rich and vibrant community of like-minded people. This community includes quite a few attractive women (some much younger than me). Trouble is I now find myself quite severely 'hormonally challenged' - so would find it difficult to take advantage of these opportunities (not that I would take adantage of younger women, of course). Life is complicated and then, I suppose, you die!