Dear Sugar is supported by

The universe has good news for the lost, lonely, and heart sick.

Sugar is here, the both of us, speaking straight into your ears.

I'm Cheryl Strayed.

I'm Steve Almond.

This is Dear Sugar Radio.

Oh, dear son, won't you please?

Share some better sweet days with me.

I check my love eyes every day. Dear sugars

Every day

Oh, and the sugar you see in my way

Dear sugars, I am 68 years old, old enough to have garnered the wisdom that comes with the years and young enough at heart anyway to still fall in love.

My partner and I were together eight years and finally called it quits.

We were compatible, mutually attracted to each other, both divorced from long-term marriages, both with adult children, and

both looking for someone to spend the rest of our lives with.

Everything lined up except for one thing, his drinking.

I worked it from every angle and finally decided I couldn't do it anymore.

The split was mutual, but I think we both let go of something that in our hearts we wanted to hold

on to. Now I'm wondering what happened. When I let myself go deep into the pain of it all, I am back

in my childhood trying to get my dad's approval, attention, love, and on and on. My dad also drank,

by the way, but perhaps you already guessed that.

So here's my question.

...