This feeling. Is it loneliness?

"Sherman is lonely,"Soo Ching said after her soup before starting on her aglio oglio. "He has too much freedom."

"I don't party like I used to anymore since I got married and the two kids," Ivy proclaimed. "I go home before 4.30am nowadays."

When I first began to travel extensively many many years ago, I was so excited and anxious to experience this glamorous life. I was able to visit places that I had only dreamed of before. All the time, I travelled alone.

The glamour faded fast, especially when it was time for another dinner alone.

As I experienced my loneliness, I became overwhelmingly aware of how much loneliness my wife had to live with because of my life-style. I was putting her off until I could squeeze her into my world.

I'm sure this is true for all men, but for me, I had to see my own self-centredness to recognise my belief that my world was more important than my wife's. I see how I controlled our relationship by putting her off to suit my needs in my timing.

I have, ever since, grew and developed and have become more aware and sensitive in our relationship.