Reply #6: okay, a real response.

[Kenneth ken]

you very much need to sort out in your self how strong your feelings are for this woman. If you do think it is love, you very much need to ask her out on a real date, as opposed to the class assignments thing.

If you decide it isn't love, enjoy the time you're spending with her, build your friendship, and start focusing on what you want to do with your free semester. Travel would be good, if you can mange that.

Work is really not a great idea for the free semester, unless you need the money. You've got the whole rest of your life to work, do something fun that will help your emotional and spiritual growth.

I don't know if this is true for everyone, but it was true for me. When I was young, I stumbled through life not knwing what I wanted; once in a while, in quiet times, a little voice in my head would say, "you're looking for someone, when you find her, you'll know, and then you'll understand." Then one day I met her; no doubt. But I f*cked it up anyway. If you know you love the woman, tell her.

Here's another truth; no matter where you go, you tsake you with you. You can travel, but you can't "leave all this painful shit behind." You have to work out a resolution some way, some how.

So, if you love, her, tell her. Worst that can happen is you get rejected; then you have something to hold on to to help banish the "I wonder what it would be like to be with her..." thoughts when they come up.

If you don't love her, don't waste any one's time trying to make something happen that you know won't last.