Q - Dear Annabelle, I love the most handsome man in all of Indiana. He's been there for me through thick and thin. He always has the right things to say and knows exactly when to say them. The problem is he's 22 and I'm barely 17. My family loves him but, while he's in college, I'm going to France in seven months for ten months to be a Foreign Exchange Student. I love him very much but I'm not sure of what to do. Should I break off our relationship or try it long distance? A - Dear Mary, Thereās nothing like a star-crossed romance to set oneās head spinning! Now, if you want a shortened version of this, know that, at 17, this fellow wouldnāt likely be a Īkeeperā so you can enjoy what you have, pull out all the emotional Īstopsā and then pull yourself together and get on with your education. (And, by the way, I AM being just the slightest bit silly here in recommending that you get emotional warm-fuzzies, because, at 17, that CAN lead to lifetime difficulties.......so keep an eye on yourself here, ok?) Itās just a good thing for you to realize that, while the Īfeelingsā are wonderful and fun, life is for the long haul and, as dull as that may sound, to let yourself get too too swept away would not be in your long-term best interests. You sound as if youāre a bright young lady......thatās probably one of the things that he finds so attractive about you. Now, if it happens that the two of you DO Īwaitā for each other, (that would not be unheard of), you might want to be aware that the chances of your ending up together are very low. You will likely meet some delightful fellow in France.....(and, if you donāt, well then, France will have lost itās charm, for sure!) Have fun, learn all that you can about people, and attend to your studies! - Annabelle