Q - Dear Annabelle, I may only be 17, but in the past year I have managed to experience my first taste of both love and heartache. I met my ex-boyfriend, Randy, via the net and although we live 500 miles apart, we made our relationship last for nearly a year...seeing each other on holidays and such. He was my first true love and I gave him my heart and soul. It ended somewhat last spring over a stupid fight. I tried to ignore him all summer, but ended up going to see him early last September. But by then he had turned from me...he didn't come out and say it, but he doesn't love me like he used to. So, now we have somewhat switched roles and I'm having a really hard time getting over him...any suggestions? A - Dear Becky, Suggestions? Yes, for one thing, this experience gets parked under ÎOh, well.....â. Seriously, your Îfirst broken heartâ will probably always be remembered and, one day, you may even wonder, ăWhatever happened to.....?ä (Thatâs just the way the mind works.) At 17 youâre sort of going through emotions Îfor realâ for the first time and learning what seems to work .......and what doesnât. Two things to remember in relationships. ÎTimeâ really is a great healer....though sometimes by Îtimeâ we mean two (!) years......thatâs about average for getting over a real hurt. Also, the Îgetting overâ is faster if is one person is replaced with another. Doesnât always work, but usually does. The reason that none of the people whom you might be dating now are NOT Îkeepersâ is that your maturity level, between 17 and 25 will have changed so much. By the time youâre 25, youâll look back on the Îyouâ you are now and think....., Îoh my, to THINK I ever thought i knew it all then!â (Everyone goes through this stage), and the lucky ones survive without too many scars on their hearts.....or too much embarrassment in their memories Try not to take the process too seriously, learn from your relationships what you can, and, if you make a Înote to yourselfâ not to do anything that would put you in REAL peril, (like sex or drugs), youâll move to young adulthood where youâre finishing up your education, (which should actually be your priority now), and developing relationships, one of which WILL, likely, lead to marriage. While this is never an easy time of life, having a sense of itâs purpose does make it a little easier. One more thing.......remember to ENJOY this time.........you only go through here once, itâs worth doing rather grandly and, by all means, with a sense of humor! - Annabelle