Dear Emily,

I am a man who was in love with another man once many years ago. I fell in love with him when we met during our six-week summer training at a hospital. Eventually, he knew I was in love with him. He allowed me to show him my love. What made it so painful is that it was short-lived. It all stopped as our training came to a close. It pained me a lot. I am still grateful because our summer story made it more meaningful and truly unforgettable. Moreover, I have to help myself from suffering the pain of too much expectation—that is, to be loved in return and to bring the relationship to the next level. It didn’t happen. We had no future. But the little time we had was enough to make me realize how wonderful love is.

—MARK ANTHONY

The poet Alfred Lord Tennyson once said that it’s better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.

Would you rather not to have met this man and missed the excitement and awesome wonders of falling in love with him, however momentary?

Would you rather not watch the shooting stars in the heavens while they’re happening because they’re so fleeting, thereby missing this wonderful spectacle of nature?

Joy is something you cannot quantify or qualify. It just inexplicably fills your heart and lights every pore of your being, like fireworks.

Rejoice, be happy that you found love once upon a time. Fate may surprise you once your heart is once again open for “business!”

[email protected] or [email protected]