Had a great cellphone convo with my eldest last night.
I am amazed at how funny he is. I am beside myself with pride in his resolve. I am deepened in depression to imagine what I have lost to time from not knowing him sooner.
I have less hate for his mother for keeping him from me, after finding how good of a mother she was for him. Only problem, he had five different father images growing up and in the long run, at about puberty, he became his own father image and that has not been bad. I look at how I might have been more solid for him (and then I question myself) but the reality is that he grew up "wild" and has turned out OK!
I love my eldest son, who I never met until a few months back!
Long story/short = we actually are developing a relationship, finally.