The Bulimic And The Emetophobe, Who'd Have Thought?

Doesn't sound quite like a match made in heaven, does it?

I was talking last night, with a friend I feel I've gotten close to in the last couple months, and he confessed several of his deep dark secrets to me. Including the fact that he's been struggling with bulimia for the last couple years.

(Yes, kiddies, men get eating disorders too - more now than they ever did, although they're still not catching up to the women.)

Now, if there were one thing that a person could tell me that I'd expect would make me back off and think, "Ummm, okay...yeah, I really think I don't want to get involved with you," bulimia would be it. (Other than, y'know, a penchant for murder or arson or bestiality or raping young girls / boys or...okay, there are several things that would make me back off - but bulimia would be high up on the list.) Petrified of throwing up here, remember? Only thing in the world I'm scared of aside from bugs hatching out of my skin - any of this ringing any bells for y'all? Yeah. I'm the type of person who'll spend my savings on a hotel room if one of the kids comes home with food poisoning, let alone something contagious like norovirus.

Yet he hasn't put me off. All I can think of is how brave he is for dealing with everything he's gone through in his life, and how much I wish he hadn't had to deal with it in the first place, and how I hope for wonderful things for him, and want to help make his life better - even if I can only do a teensy weensy bit for him.

I think I can call this progress on the road to maturity, don't you?

And that's my offering for today. My ear infection has me constantly dropping off to sleep.

What "secret" would put you off a person if you found out? What would give you more respect for them?