I was once brought to tears during a conversation with my wife a few years ago, struck not necessarily by shame or guilt, but simply because I felt like I understood the pain that I caused her when I told her of this aspect of me. I'm not sure I am able to process the feelings we know as guilt or shame into something I can experience like most since I don't feel I've ever done anything shameful or anything outside of my nature to be guilty of.
I apologized to her for having waited so long before telling her of this all, but I never apologized for being me.
Since that time, she has never made me feel guilty or shameful (unless you count the times I may have accidentally taken the chocolate bar that she expected to save for herself!)
jenn
