Two Drops Of Water

Direct Answers - Column for the week of June 17, 2002

My problem is that I am falling in love. My friend and I are both 23. He lives in the United States, seven hours away from where I live in Canada. Just yesterday I came back from seeing him again.

I always have such a wonderful time, but this time on the trip home I started missing him as if a part of myself was also missing. It was such a sad and empty feeling I wished I didn't have to come home.

We share romantic feelings, and when we are together, those feelings are expressed in displays of affection and acts of kindness. We hold hands and kiss, he pays for my meals and takes the day off work to drive me around.

The boundaries between friends and more than friends have blurred between us, and now as I get to know him more, I find I am becoming involved deeper and deeper.

We are both aware we care for each other, but I have not told him how intense my feelings have become. We have differences, distance and religion. Before he met me, the religious aspect ended a relationship because they were unable to agree how to raise a family.

With myself religion is not an issue. I would be okay raising children in another religion. I want to express what I feel, but I do not know how to talk to him without scaring him. I am afraid of the vulnerability which comes with this. I do not want to get hurt, but even more, I do not want to miss the opportunity to be with him.

Petula

Petula, I once loved a woman with whom I had a mostly business relationship, but I was moving away permanently. Still, I couldn't leave without telling her I loved her, and a little speech rehearsed itself in my mind, almost against my will.

When I went to see her for the last time, she was busy and asked me to step into another room and help myself to coffee. On a table was a letter telling of her love for me. That woman was Tamara. We met in an embrace and have been together ever since.

With the greatest risk comes the greatest reward. One of the most important lessons of life is learning not to let fear ruin our chances for happiness. If you share your feelings and they aren't reciprocated, you will be devastated. For a while. But you will also be closer to finding the person with whom you can share love for a lifetime.

Wayne

The Glue

I went abroad for a year and dated a man a few years my senior. The man I met is Irish, like myself.

I miss him terribly and keep telling him this on the phone, which seems to be really annoying him. I try my best not to, but I can't help myself. He recently sent a present for my birthday. He sent the receipt also, and without thinking I gave out about it.

What I said came out completely wrong. I apologized, but he stopped ringing me completely. I know pressuring wasn't helping, but I just love to hear from him. I've been a jealous person for as long as I remember.

He told me his former girlfriend was the prettiest girl in the county. He left her because she did the dirt on him, but that made me uneasy as well. Could you please help? I love him to bits and don't want to lose him.

Erin

Erin, the essence of jealousy is "it's mine." The essence of love is "it is meant to be." Your pursuit is pushing this man away. Stop chasing him. If he comes back, remember a person is not a possession. Love is the glue in a relationship. When it is gone, so is the relationship.

Tamara

About The Author

Authors and columnists Wayne and Tamara Mitchell can be reached at www.WayneAndTamara.com.

Send letters to: Direct Answers, PO Box 964, Springfield, MO 65801 or email: DirectAnswers@WayneAndTamara.com.

Latest News


New York Times

» Inspirational drama anything but 'Broken'
Chicago Daily Herald, IL - 21 hours ago
This movie is based on the inspirational book by Bishop TD Jakes, which might explain why Duke treats it like an overripe project for the Lifetime cable ...
Bill Duke's Not Easily Broken The Phoenix
all 118 news articles

An inspirational office
Malaysia Star, Malaysia - 3 hours ago
“Without a doubt, moving to this new office has given a tremendous boost to our camaraderie, our inspirational level, openness and teamwork,” Khairudin says ...

John Lewis hails 'inspirational' sales effort in January sale
Times Online, UK - 4 hours ago
John Lewis emphasised that the sales figures were inflated by calendar effects but hailed a “truly inspirational” performance. Sales of electricals and home ...

Local Sports Hero to Share Inspirational Story at Business Club of ...
PR.com (press release), NY - 20 hours ago
Raleigh, NC, January 09, 2009 --(PR.com)-- Logan Aldridge, a top national wakeboarder from Raleigh, will share his inspirational story at the Business Club ...

BALL: fund-raiser for inspirational school for autistic children
Midhurst and Petworth Today, UK - 4 hours ago
Pulborough mum Clare Vaux is organising a spring ball in tribute to a truly-inspirational school. The ball will be a fund-raiser for the Jigsaw School, ...

Gerard Lucien Gaudreau, inspirational speaker
Baltimore Sun, United States - Jan 8, 2009
By Frederick N. Rasmussen Gerard Lucien Gaudreau, a former partner in a Baltimore real estate firm and an inspirational speaker and teacher, died of heart ...

Tyler Thompson, inspirational JCJC student, dies
Laurel Leader Call, MS - Jan 7, 2009
By Jason Niblett, newseditor@laurelleadercall.com A Jones County Junior College student who symbolically became an inspiration during the 2008 Jones County ...

Dr. Phil: Movie critic?
Los Angeles Times, CA - 6 hours ago
That's what Sony has done for its new movie, "Not Easily Broken," which is not only being touted by Dr. Phil ("Inspirational, hilarious and deeply moving") ...

Inspirational Deborah Riedel soprano dies of cancer aged 50
The Australian, Australia - Jan 8, 2009
Matthews described Riedel as an inspirational singer. Riedel grew up in Sydney and was a schoolteacher before successfully auditioning for a place in the ...

Inspirational coach sharing her experiences with local girls
Chinook Observer (subscription), WA - Jan 8, 2009
ILWACO — On June 11 from 10 am to 3 pm, girls in grades sixth through 12th have a rare opportunity to spend a day with an inspirational leader of young ...

Resources