A few months ago, I was at a close family friend's house for dinner and I got to spend time with some young teenagers. I like talking to the teenagers of this day and age. They just think a bit differently and are exposed to more complex relational dynamics (as well as a variety of technological gadgets) that I just like getting their perspective on life and the world and how it should be. So anyway, we all talked for some time about various life topics and then finally come to the one about young love. There was one young guy about fourteen years old there who was struggling with expressing how he felt about another fourteen year old girl in his class at school. He really liked her and wanted to hang out with her, but he was having trouble saying anything to her about how he felt. They were mild friends and he wanted to get closer to her; so we all started brainstorming ways he could overcome his fear and ask her out for some conversation time.

The moment this guy talked about his situation, a deep concern came over me. I couldn't help but hear my mind saying 'oh my god!!!! not another devdas!!! we have to help this guy!!!! we have to come up with some solutions on how he can save himself from a life of regret and disappointment if he doesn't say something to this girl!!!!! what should we do!!!!!!'

So I took what my mind said and tried to calmly yet excitedly come up with different things he could do. I suggested going to Panera because there was one near his school and they could walk there and have bagels with cream cheese after school and study. This would be a perfect study date. There was also a dance coming up and we suggested that within a group of friends, he casually ask her if she was going and if she'd be interested in going with him (again, asked casually). Anyway, it went on and on but he just wasn't coming around. He was being resistant. And the surprising thing is he knew exactly why so I asked why. Why can't he go up to her and talk to her.

And he said:

"Fear of Love. It's the fear of love."

This guy is enlightened.