[BDBopper]

I was 14 and a half when I had my first and only girlfriend. Her name was Misty. We would kiss but that is only as far as we went because we both knew that anything more was inappropriate.

I am a very romantic person. I spoiled Misty a lot. Not a lot of money was spent. Rather I spoiled her in small ways. For example one Valentine's Day I gave her a box of mix tapes that I had spent months recording for her.

After almost three years she decided that she wanted to see someone else. She called me the day before Final Exams in 1999. I was crushed but I wanted her to be happy so I let her go. In the end our personalities didn't match too well. I was and am still sensitive (in a way she considered too much so).

I learned a valuable lesson, a lesson I hope you can pass on to your kids (to everyone) A successful relationship is give-take. I spent all of the time giving and very little time taking because with her personality she did not and could not return my tokens of love (if that makes any sense).

It's been almost ten years now without being in a romantic relationship. After the break up I did eventually start looking again but my heart was still hurt. I found some nice girls but looked closely and (maybe wrongly) assumed they were already taken and never stepped forward. I didn't want what happened to me happen to anyone else on my account. I knew how terrible it felt to have my heart broken. Maybe you see that as a sign of weakness but I have my standards and principles and I try to stand by them.

Betty, I hope and pray that your daughter doesn't have to go through what I have been through. to say I am lonely is a complete understatement. I was too young to be dating and I let the relationship go on too long. Now look at me. ( where is a crying cheese when you want to use one?)