Dear Anu hope you are doing well.
While I was pursuing my postgraduation I met a guy in my university who was 8 years older to me and we were in the same class. I was 23.
We were great friends. I helped him in English and to write messages that he would send to other girls 'in English.
This went on until the girl (teacher of the university) rejected his proposal.
He proposed me a few days later. I accepted it.
He wanted marriage, I wanted time.
The relationship lasted for 5 months before he ended it. He wanted to be friends.
Every now and then I message him regarding my problems and he offers me a solution or at least consoles me.
That’s how our friendship had started.
It’s been 2 years now. He never texted me but always replied back.
While in the relationship he has always been looking around at other girls. The relationship had been very controlling, dominating but did help me during my difficult times.
I don't know what it was. Did he even love me?
He wants to be friends with me the entire lifetime. What does my friendship or presence offer him? 
He has also taken academic help from me during university days.

Dear BG,
What does it tell you about a person when he chooses to hide the fact that he is a divorcee and that too with a reason like dowry?

Doesn’t this ring any bell for you as a sign to the fact that he possibly can never be trusted when he can’t come clean with his life story?

And now the complication of being physically involved has added a dimension that makes you want to be around him even more?

The very fact that you have written to me is because you are revaluating your thoughts about him and GOOD, you must and ask yourself:

Is he really worth my love, time and energy?

Has he done anything to earn my trust?

If it’s a big NO, you know that this guy isn’t the last man on the planet and that just because you are unable to find a suitable life partner, you need to settle for this man.

No, you don’t need to settle and pine for someone who has not bothered to take your feelings into considerations and not much of thought as to: if she finds out about my past, how will she react?

So let me be the one to tell her rather than she hear it from someone else.

Instead, he chooses to defend his decision of hiding this and to top it all stops talking to you.

Why exactly is he playing the victim when he isn’t? Because, he feels that it isn’t his problem and that it is yours and that you need to be making all the adjustments IF you want a future with him.

Did all this give you a good perspective?

Do the right thing and Love yourself. All the best.

Dear JH,

Hang on! Let’s get all the facts right here…

1. He loves you and you love him
2. You supported him financially and emotionally
3. He also wants to be with other girls
4. He is currently in a relationship with another girl and also claims that he will travel abroad
5. You both plan to be together

Did I get all the facts right?

Take a step back and just figure out if he is just missing a ‘Mother Figure’ in his life and if he is actually thinking of you as one.

That’s what you will always be to him if that is the case. Watch how you are playing with your emotions here as whatever be the age, when a heart breaks, it really does break!

Ask yourself: What is it that I am getting from this relationship? Is it love, it is eliminating loneliness, is it validation OR is it you wanting to share love that you have?

These are not reasons enough to be with a person and lock your emotions with. The future is always unknown and uncertain but delve into your heart and simply ask: Do I really want to test the waters OR Do I create my life the way that I want on my own terms as a 40-year old who is complete charge of life? You will clearly get your answer.

All the best and create a beautiful life for yourself.

Dear AI,

The nature of a virtual relationship can be the way that you have mentioned.

What is being shared virtually may not be reality and it is difficult to spot this.

Now that you know, isn’t it a lesson learned not to rely on anyone outside of you for your own happiness?

Did you have to study hard just so that you fit his choice of ‘successful’ women/girls?

Can you not work hard to live your dreams?

What you lack is self-love! Something that you didn’t focus on because you were working hard to prove how relevant you are in his life so that he chooses you.

Even if this relationship works, it will be his call always and other than strive hard to be in his life, there’s nothing that will grow in it.

Moreover, isn’t it a red flag when he revealed that he has been in a relationship for over a year?

Time to get back to yourself. Value yourself more, love yourself more…if you don’t, no one else will!

Start every morning doing these little things:

• in gratitude for being alive
• list down 3 things that you love about yourself
• do one thing that you love at least for 15 minutes everyday
• spend time in Nature
• surround yourself with people that love you

These are tried and tested methods to get you out of a low phase.

Again, love yourself more and yet again!

All the best!

Dear SJ,

This is something that I have been seeing lately with a lot of people.

Something lacks within your current relationship and to fulfil that you look for it elsewhere only to realise that things have gotten out of hands.

In your case, love has blossomed in and suddenly now you have realized that it might cause a flutter within two relationships.

He has made it clear that he wants to be with his wife which should give you an idea not to make any more emotional investment. You will end up getting hurt even more if you do.

Time for you to start feeling solace and gaining better self-esteem by valuing yourself more. You don’t need anyone for you to love yourself, do you?

So, stop giving this so much importance. He was there when you needed him and vice-versa. Now, that things are getting a little complicated, time to revise the way you think and act.

You don’t need to lose a friend if the feelings that you have for him can be healthier and not draining on either of you.

If not, maybe you need to think how you can handle this agony better. Be your own friend first and then you start making better choices on who to let into your life.

Possible? Yes, start now…

All the best!

Dear AS,

So brotherly feelings turned into love?

I guess when you tied the rakhi, you simply were trying to avoid facing up to the fact that there already might have been feelings for him, and it was convenient to seal the connection with a rakhi. Possible?

Now that both have discovered that it might be more than what you thought of initially, please sit down like mature individuals and talk about it.

No point trying to avoid the feelings for each other if they indeed exist. After which, both of you can decide the right course of action.

Also, dropping hints might be your reading of the situation based on what you wished or hoped for.

It could very well be one-sided from you, so it’s better to have that frank chat and put all these doubts and uncertainties to rest.

Makes sense? Wait no longer…

All the best!