2025-04-26 08:16 Note Type: research, insight Tags: unrequited-love, pain, grief

I believe that two of the deepest forms of emotional pain are (1) the pain of a mother when losing a child and (2) the pain of unrequited love.

It seems that over the years the cross I bore was the deep emotional pain of unrequited love.  When this happened, the object of my affection genuinely loved me as a best friend. However, he was not in love with me. I have never enjoyed a two-sided romance.

References:

https://griefwatch.com/blogs/articles/grieving-what-never-was

The words quoted are from an autobiography by Sister Paula Nielsen entitled The Trans-Evangelist: The Life and Times of a Transgender Pentecostal Preacher. Readers of this book will also gain a deeper understanding of the unique grief experienced by persons who are rejected by others because of their sexual or gender minority status.