Ms. Understanding [p.2]

Dear Friend,
Oh, Friend. Your advisor is so sorry for the anguish of unrequited love that you are experiencing.

You are stuck between two options: one of being a good best friend by attending the wedding and the other of shielding yourself from further pain by hiding. And in life, much like getting your bikini line waxed, there are times when you'll have to do things that might kill you. Don't hold it against him because his heart led him to another by not attending. Be the friend that you know you're strong enough to be.

And once there, pour yourself a shot of Hypnotiq, raise the glass high in the air and wish your best friend well. After you drink and savor the liquor, you will realize that this tragedy of a wedding does have its unexpected benefits: it'll give you the closure to move on.

Dear Ms. Understanding,
My boyfriend and I have been together for six years and we're both now 33 years old. He knows I want to get married but he doesn't like to talk about it. I love him but I think it's unfair that he's not addressing my needs. I told him that if he doesn't want to get married, fine, just tell me and I'll find someone who will want to marry me but he says that I'm pressuring him. My family and friends tell me that I should leave him and go out with this guy I've met at work who's great and has been interested in me for some time now. What do you think?
Impatient

Dear Impatient,
Prior to biting into that oh so tempting apple of infidelity, Ms. Understanding thinks that you and your love bug need to engage in a thoughtful, quality conversation about your goals and expectations. So, the next time the two of you share a quiet dinner together, smile at him and whisper, "Baby, I am crazy about you. I could see us spending the rest of our lives together. Do you feel the same way?"

Ride the flow of the conversation, Impatient, but remember to keep your voice level, loving, and firm. Yes, he will need to give you an honest answer because you do deserve to know whether his plans of happily ever after include you. If you receive nothing but evasion and static from him, then that is the decisive answer he's too much of a coward to voice. After all, often times it is what a person doesn't say that speaks volumes. And in that case, there's nothing-nothing-holding you back from packing your bags and pursuing that sweet forbidden fruit offered by a certain co-worker.