Advice for the young at heart

Actually, I just wanted to use the song title for this post's title, but even if you don't consider yourself "young at heart" this could be mighty interesting for you, too!

Everybody could use some advice -- whether it's about money matters, a relationship, the in-laws or a pair of shoes. After all, wisdom takes a lifetime to acquire (come to think of it, a lifetime is not even enough to develop perfect decision-making and to know everything that there is to know about life).

But thank goodness for the advice columnists and the counselors, guidance is not too hard to find. Some of them provide really sensible and comforting counsel, while others...well, let's just say one's life can take a turn for the worst if the advice is heeded.

Manolo is one such person whose advice is always a joy to read -- such light-heartedness and optimism, and he manages to bring to light the hundred other perspectives to consider even if shoes, they are the topic of the conversation. From Manolo's Shoe Blog, the sample here is:

Dear Manolo,

Help me! In May I’m accompanying my boyfriend to the christening of his niece in Denver. This will be the first time I’ll be meeting his very Catholic, very conservative parents.

Shannon

Manolo says, the Manolo’s friend she is indeed most lucky to be able to visit the beautiful mountains of the Rockies in the springtime. Do not forget to pack the hiking boots so that if things with the family begin to go bad, there is the possibility of the long walk alone through the alpine flowers.

Ha! The Manolo he jokes.

Indeed the Manolo suspects that this family of the boyfriend they are the wonderful peoples, for in the fact, did they not raise the wonderful son? And if he is not the wonderful son, why is the Manolo’s friend going with him to Denver?

Read Manolo's advice in full here

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A more serious matter is tackled in "Ask Theophilus." I know a lot of women can relate to this piece of advice!

As for you, my dear, you must stop confusing pity with romantic love; that's a disorder in your feelings. Some guys have a soft spot for broken girls. You, I suspect, have a soft spot for broken guys. What a man with broken emotions needs is a counselor, not a wife; what a woman with an extra-soft heart needs is a husband, not a patient. All those novels and movies where the girl marries a damaged guy and then "fixes" him are frauds. The marital relationship is one thing; the therapeutic relationship is another.

Read the advice, the problem and two other matters at Boundless webzine