The "Single" Love Guru

This may sound crazy and wild but I'm single, single and not sure if ready to mingle. This is my story and possibly the story of many lovely young or old people out there. I have been single for all my life, even through high school, me, a total stunner had no man to lift my spirits. Through college, I really shined my youth and even had admirers but still kept the single status public. But recently now at 23, I had a young friend who's still at her prime teenage years approached me asking for a relationship advice. I was more than thrilled to help and got right into the core of the problem. We discussed texting, crushing and flirting. By the end of it she looked at me with wide-eyed and exclaimed: "Wow, I guess you've been through it all!" HA! funny the problem with that statement was that I'm the least experienced 23-year-old out there. I had managed to do 2 things in this situation, 1. I was able to entertain an 18-year-old with some fake wisdom. 2. I managed to learn something about myself. Despite my lack of experience in a field that everyone seems to win at I knew quite a bit about the world of love and relationships, and why I had not jumped into it. It took me back to the times I watched the relationships around me. Starting with my parents, the place where I should see the most love, I saw it fall apart and be crumpled with the sour words that spewed out of it. Then there were my friends. watching two friends fall deep into an unhealthy relationship and ultimately ending with attempted suicide and restraining orders, I knew the uglies of love existed. As sad and tragic as this sounded I felt fenced about this thought, in a positive outlook I've been saved myself from the heartaches and the crazies. But on the negatives, I've built a wall against men and a potential chance to a long and healthy relationship. Now, this is where things got complicated, two nights ago a male friend of mine confessed his love to me, stating how he had crushed on me for a while. I knew I had to be sensitive and understanding. I let him know that I had goals in life that I had to fulfill and having a significant other would pull me back from those goals. At this point, you're probably wondering why I couldn't give my friend a chance. I mean we're friends for a reason right? There has to be at least a mutual liking to be friends. But the truth is it all came down to the old tale of attraction. I just wasn't attracted to him in that way. As hard as it was to break my friend's heart I had to do what was fair to me and fair to my friend in the long run. Maybe in the future, I might regret not giving my friend a chance but currently, I'm content with my decision. Besides aren't we always taught to love ourselves before loving some else. Maybe that's just something grown-ups have always said to teach us about self-esteem but it doesn't hurt to live by it. So this is where I am, still single and not sure if ready to mingle. I lived this singleness like an identity and despite my feelings of loneliness, I enjoy being single but I also enjoy giving relationship advice. So what? Maybe I am not the most reliable relationship guru and I'll never be a Matthew Hussey the love coach but I can be the single friend that gives it to you as it is, all emotions aside and point blank logic. I'll continue being single but maybe when the right man comes along who knows maybe he'll be strong enough to break my wall, and when it does happen you guys will be the first to know it! Until then I'll keep my Facebook status "Single." Thanks for reading and keep it real. Love, your failed adult, Leels.