PHM - Then don't go dark. What I've usually told people in your situation is...accept it may be too late and decide to go ahead and do your best anyway regardless of what response you get is for a while. Set a time (3 months? 6 months?) to sit back and decide how it's been working.
The hardest part (DB wise, not emotionally) - is the balance between sincerity and overplaying it. Remember a little goes a long way. But in your case...a little overplaying may not be a bad thing.
The key is, are you willing or able to actually make the change? Make it something he can count on or is it another temporary measure? Something he's sure he can wait out and find the old you behind?
