Love Relationships Advice

Old Love Letters - Sentimental Tokens of Affection

Relationship Advice Expert April Masini

Advice Seeker: Dear April Masini,

I just had an argument with my new beau about some old love letters I have. He says if I really cared about him I would have thrown them away. What do you think?

Signed, Love Letters - Tokens of Affection

April Masini's advice:

Dear Love Letters - Tokens of Affection,

We've all been guilty of it at one time or another, but there’s no doubt about the fact that old love letters can really complicate a person's life when starting a new relationship. And if I had anything to say about it, love letters would come with warning labels attached that read: “Hold onto these at your own risk. May cause serious harm if kept too long.”

Look, obviously we don’t keep these little bits of nostalgia because we like the handwriting. We keep them because they represent fond memories, people we once cared about, etc. But if there’s a new special someone in the picture, be prepared for your old love letters to cause conflict. Finding that giant stack of under your bed can be a real buzzkill—just imagine how you would fee stumbling across something in their house! So, to avoid any irreversible damage:

•   Keep them in a place where your new partner isn’t likely to find them
•   Don’t ever read them to your significant someone
•   Try and curtail reading them too often even in privacy (if you are doing this, you may want to ask yourself why you’re clinging to the past)
•   And if they ask you to, be prepared to get rid of them all together—especially if your new relationship is serious enough where you should be willing to sacrifice for its success!

You may also be interested in:
Dating Advice for Women, Dating Tips for Guys, Ideas for a Fun Date, Romantic Date Ideas, Better Sex, Kissing Tips

April Masini -- nicknamed "the new millennium's Dear Abby" by the media, is author of the best-selling books Date Out Of Your League and Think & Date Like A Man, the two (just released) step-by-step dating and relationship manuals, Ideas for a Fun Date and Romantic Date Ideas, and the critically acclaimed dating and relationship online magazine www.AskApril.com.