Dear Andre:

Let the doomed hopeless romantic go then… let him go down the drain with that cigarette. Replace him with a realistic, hopeful person who gets close to another slowly, gradually while learning who that person is before jumping in. No more jumping in with closed eyes, hoping not to fall on hard surface. Keep your eyes open and take one step at a time. Slowly…

Start friendships with this and that person, a few. Proceed with caution, patiently, take your time. Hopefully with one, over time, it will make sense to get deeper and before you know it, there it is: to love and be loved in return.

anita