DEAR ABBY: Before I married my husband, I had, shall we say, a "colorful past." None of those encounters gave me much satisfaction. I was up front about it with my husband before we married. He asked how many and I told him.
Last night, I made an off-the-cuff remark that he took the wrong way. He told me later that it reminded him of my past. He felt I was bragging about it and throwing it in his face. He told me that after he learned how experienced I was, he had almost broken up with me.
Abby, I have explained to him repeatedly that the only relationship that has ever given me any pleasure has been with him. I have told him over and over how much I love him and need him. But this hurts. How do I help him get over my past? -- HURTING IN MASSACHUSETTS
DEAR HURTING: Men who ask the question are often insecure. An emotionally mature man would have respected your privacy and not pushed. The next time he brings up your past, suggest to him that it is healthier and more fruitful to live in the present. Assure him that you love him only and offer to go to counseling together until he has talked it out. The rest is up to him.