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All Letters

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My dear Jil, it’s unfortunate, and I quite empathise with your situation but that ship has sailed. You’ll have to accept the reality. He’s gone! Another woman has him now. Prized guys don’t hang around for too long. You were late in appreciating his worth. He waited on you for two years! That’s a long time for a guy to be waiting for a response. But he wanted you and so he persisted, patiently, hoping you’ll come around. He was just hanging in there. You never said yes, and you never said no. His fate was hanging in the balance, his future suspended. It’s a credit to his character and conviction he hung around for so long. Which was kind of a technical rejection. Rejection hurts. Not many people can take it, but this guy persisted. After two years he probably just gave up, believed you’ll never say yes. And so when this other lady showed specific interest he did what any reasonable guy in his position would do. He asked her out. He was under the pressure of shame. Everyone kept wondering, asking what’s going on, some mocking his faith. The other lady saw what you didn’t see on time, though some will say what you refused to see. She saw value in him and grabbed him with both hands.

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My dear Jil, I know what the average man will do as regards this situation is condemn you. But I have seen life. I have seen life happen. I have seen that matters of the heart don’t always proceed rationally, that things do happen. I have also seen the power of need, that emotional needs are powerful. And that these needs are not easily understood by a bystander or third party. Our needs are invariably a catalogue of our history. They are demands made by us for the shortcomings in our life. Sometimes you meet that one person who ticks all your boxes – he’s all you want, only he’s married. Sometimes needs cross, like a pair of scissors – needy single girl meets needy wonderful man in a bad marriage. These are realities of life, one we’re not always willing to acknowledge despite the facts before us. Continue reading

My dear Jack, I think you’re mistaken about issues of life, possibly conflicted by your ego. There’s no nobility in poverty. If you don’t accept that as basic fact of life you’ll keep having problems in this relationship. Your girlfriend’s character is not defined by willingness to live in poverty. That’s not what makes her a good woman. That she wants to live in relative comfort is not a repudiation of character. Everyone has a right to aspire, to want more from life. She has a right to want to live in relative comfort. You can’t blame her for that. Neither should you accept your starting point in life as the permanent definition of your class. It’s just a starting point. Aspire for more. Aspiration is not evil. It produces drive in us, creates leadership potential in us.

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My dear Jil, there’s that sense of responsibility a young man ought to have. You’ll be hugely frustrated if your husband has no sense of responsibility. There’ll be constant disappointment. You will have to resort to self-help to cover the gaps and shortfalls if your husband has no sense of responsibility. There WILL BE gaps and shortfalls.

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My dear Jack, you and I know the Osu caste stuff is cultural irredentism. And it’s from a bygone era. The logic embedded in that caste system is so obtuse. How do you hold someone in the 21st century responsible for the alleged crime of her ancestor from antiquity? And the moral standing is doubtful. By one account Osus were condemned to serve as sacrificial offering to contumacious demons to clean the land from abomination. The saner version of the narrative is that Osus were criminals who sinned against their communities or were disobedient to the edict of the king. So how can a lady who is 100 times removed from her primogenitor be held responsible for his ancestral crimes? Why should she be socially isolated and denied her marital choice in the 21st century? Even more illogical is the notion an ancestral line can be branded with blemish forever, and this irrespective of the personal qualities of the descendants. And there is no redemptive recourse. Continue reading

My dear Jil, the problem I see here is you don’t know when to stop negotiating affection and desire. You’re like a poor algebra student who doesn’t realise 4a+3b is a final answer and not 7ab. You wanted this guy. For many reasons he couldn’t look your way. He finally does and you move into a coy state. Shouldn’t you seal the deal rather than keep editing the terms of the relationship contract? The guy is now interested in you and you’re playing out of reach. You’re trying to make it seem you weren’t interested in the relationship, that he’s the one chasing you without your prompting. All this to assume leverage and control? Also to make you feel wanted?

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My dear Jack, you’re going to put yourself on an emotional rollercoaster trying to keep this lady. Your heart can’t afford it. First, your relationship is in a state of plausible deniability. She never said yes to your boyfriend proposal. She just allowed things to carry on. There’s no definitiveness about the relationship. Perhaps you should have asked her a simple question: Are we boyfriend and girlfriend now? Sometimes it’s wise to ask such questions, especially if a relationship seems borderline. Not sure she really wants to date you. Seems she just used you as a gap filler. She didn’t want to be alone. She sucked emotional nutrient from you but she had no plan to commit to you. Continue reading

My dear Jil, I think the seeming complications in this relationship are being driven by your insecurities. It seems the things you’re worried about are nothing to this man. He doesn’t care. For instance you’re worried about whether you’re fine enough for him. (He had a beautiful girlfriend). But he wants you. Which means you’re beautiful enough for him. You’re also allowing his profile and achievements intimidate you. That’s a bit understandable. And yet he wants you. You really don’t know why he wants you do you? He doesn’t want you because of your beauty, he wants you because there’s “something” about you that resonates inside him. There’s something. You said it yourself: you just click! You just seem to get along. You can talk freely with him, you’re free with him, you can be yourself… And you feel safe around him. When you met the chemistry was instant. Continue reading

My dear young man, I kind of understand your confusion, if not disappointment. I mean, you went out of your way to buy the young lady a valentine’s gift… It’s something you thought through, just to make sure it’s the right gift for her. You went to that store, picked it yourself. And then nothing! Not a text, not a call to say thank you. You got that distinct feeling your effort was not appreciated; that the gift was not appreciated… Your gift ought to be appreciated, after all you bought it with your hard-earned money. The least she could do is call to say thank you, or send a thank you text that shows she appreciates the gift. Even outside the purview of relationship that’s courteous. When you’re given a gift you should at least say thank you. The whole thing kind of dashes your expectations, as well as projections. And it wasn’t a cheap present you bought. Makes you wonder. And makes her a wonderment.

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My dear Jil, to be honest with you I don’t understand why you’re walking around imagining yourself damaged on account of some past abortions. And you WERE a teenager for goodness sake!  Now, of course different folks have different attitude towards abortion, but that’s beside the point. It’s done, it’s done, you can’t reverse history. You can’t keep living in regret. At some point you have to accept the past for what it is and move on with your life. Of course, there’s moral provincialism at play here and it’s largely dictated by culture and religion. That’s the reality of the society you live in. It’s a context in which abortion is treated as a definer of character and essence. The hypocrisy is that the impregnating male is not held equally responsible. And so he can’t have any residual guilt about the abortions. After all you didn’t impregnate yourself. A boy did. How come you’re the only one bearing continuous guilt for the abortions? He’s moved on. You better move on too. Continue reading

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