Numbers


Direct Answers - Column for the week of May 19, 2003

I'm currently in the classic older man and younger woman relationship. I'm 50 years old, Nancy is 30, and we are both divorced. I was not looking for anyone when Nancy came into my life. She is beautiful and sweet, and I absolutely adore her.

I could think of a million reasons why it doesn't make sense to have a relationship with a younger woman. But she doesn't feel that way at all. So why am I writing? At this juncture in my life I simply can't see this relationship in the long term.

I have told Nancy not to waste time with someone like me; I have far less life to live than she does. She insists I have plenty of time left, though I cannot see where this could possibly go and be good for both of us. Am I simply sounding like some insecure, middle-aged idiot, or should I enjoy what we have and see where it leads?

Simon

Simon, if you know something in your own heart that prevents this, or if there is an issue you haven't resolved, such as having children, that's one thing. But if it's simply the idea of the years, the years don't matter.

To suggest the difference in age is the problem implies being close in age would guarantee success. But that is not true. Almost half the couples in the United States divorce, and most of them are close in age.

It is love that is the center of everything, not the number of years since your birth. It is love which creates alignment and balance between two people. What matters is that you love each other and belong together. In addition, there is no guarantee Nancy will outlive you.

Being an insecure, middle-aged idiot is no fun, so we suggest that you enjoy what you have and see where it leads.

Wayne & Tamara

Free Will

My story is like most others. All the signs were there, but for some reason I wanted to believe the lies.

My former boyfriend met his ex-wife behind my back. I also suspected an affair with his boss. That thought nagged me. So one night when he was away I looked up her address and drove there. Lo and behold! His car was parked in her driveway at four in the morning. He said he left it there for convenience while he went out with friends for the night.

I guess the question you get most is why. But I don't want to know why he did these things, but why did I stay with someone who would cheat on me? Why would I want to believe the lies so much I went against my own logic?

Tiffany

Tiffany, if you are less than 70 years old, you have been raised all your life to believe we can make any relationship work with the right amount of hard work, compromise, and communication. That is what the "experts" claim. It isn't true.

The end result of believing every relationship can be worked on and worked through is there aren't any warning signs anymore. It is like saying since medical people can effectively treat burns, you no longer need to remove your hand from a hot stove.

You wanted a loving, monogamous relationship. That is who you are. He wanted to play the field and be intimate with whoever he wanted. That is who he is. Neither of you had the ability or the right to change the other. You tried to apply what you desired in a relationship, and what the "experts" claim is possible, to the man you had. It didn't work.

At the time you couldn't see there could be someone else for you who would be loving and monogamous. That is where you needed to go because no one has the power to change the behavior of another.

Wayne & Tamara

About The Author

Authors and columnists Wayne and Tamara Mitchell can be reached at www.WayneAndTamara.com" target="_new">www.WayneAndTamara.com.

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


MORE RESOURCES:

Toledo Blade

FAITH: Feb. 4
Wicked Local
Listen to his inspirational talk on life's journey and how we can change our destination with hope and faith. Check him out at vincenteramo.com. For more information, call the church office at 508-746-1642. Parents, grandparents and caregivers are ...
Faith BriefsMuncie Star Press

all 43 news articles »


A Dude's Guide to Pinterest
Philadelphia Magazine (blog)
Initial poking around on the site revealed lots of wedding planning foofery, a miasma of nursery schematics, lots of treacly/earnest inspirational postery things, and like a bajillion pairs of handcrafted earrings. (A search for “Pinterest” on ...

and more »


New Straits Times

No soaring inspirational rhetoric but a pragmatic plan to address America's ...
New Straits Times
For it is so ordained, that "he shall from time to time give to the Congress information of the state of the union, and recommend to their consideration such measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient". The phrasing of that one sentence is ...

and more »


Will Zuckerberg's IPO letter be as inspiring as Larry Page's?
ZDNet (blog)
Just 90 minutes to try and find and write the best news stories, looking at the same information that thousands of journalists were looking at. Our job was made tougher because our US competition had far more time, the Wall Street Journal and the New ...

and more »


Inspiring Voices Contest Provides Authors a Rewarding Opportunity to Get Published
PR Web (press release)
For more information about self-publishing opportunities with Inspiring Voices, please visit: http://www.inspiringvoices.com. Inspiring Voices, a service of Guideposts, is dedicated to helping authors share their words of hope, faith and inspiration ...

and more »


San Francisco Conference observations: Enterprise transformation, enterprise ...
ZDNet (blog)
The power of ubiquitous technology to transform the enterprise was the theme of the inspirational plenary presentation given by Andy Mulholland, Global CTO and Corporate Vice President at Capgemini. Mobility, the cloud, and big data are the three ...

and more »


Around Your Town: 02/06/12
Sierra Vista Herald
For more information, contact Aaron at 378-9330 or info@cochisecountyvva.org. The American Red Cross will host a blood drive from 10 am to 3 pm Feb. 7 at the Center for Academic Success, 900 Carmelita Dr. To Schedule an appointment, call 439-3528.

and more »


Brave Amarni's life at risk from bugs
Halifax Evening Courier
The inspirational four-year-old has been diagnosed with a severe form of aplastic anaemia, a blood disease that affects only one or two people in every million. Amarni's bone marrow produces no white or red blood cells and no platelets, ...



Rome Indoor Run/Walk raises $25343
Utica Observer Dispatch
*Inspirational Honoree, Russell Arant, a 35-year-old Rome resident and director of Surgical Services at Rome Memorial Hospital told his story during the opening ceremony about his open heart surgery in October 2010. During an annual physical, ...
Rome Free Academy hosts Indoor Run/Walk eventThe Rome Observer

all 3 news articles »


An Inspirational Woman - Living With Aids
AllAfrica.com
We had a purpose to work around HIV because we realised there was no information around HIV in the community", Mam' Lorna says about why she started PUSH. Kliptown, where PUSH is located, is now renowned for its trader's market.


Google News

lincolnhsbrooklyn.com ©