DEAR MISS MANNERS: They say it's better to have hooked and lost than to have never hooked at all. We all search for our soul mates. We all look for someone to grow old with.
One day I hope to sit in my rocking chair holding the hand of the girl I love and know that I lived a full life. I want to know that I took chances and grabbed onto every opportunity that came my way.
Several months ago, I met a beautiful blond girl in Rome. We had a connection that was much deeper than anything I've ever felt before. She was intelligent, kind and classy.
In a world where values are often thrown overboard, she showed me something rare. I met an angel that morning at the Vatican.
There are millions of fish in the sea. I know this girl was an American, but I don't know exactly where she's from. Social media allow us to cast a bigger net than any other time in history. I have the resources to make some pretty big waves, but I can't do it all by myself. Do I cast that net, or do I turn my boat around and find someplace else to fish?
GENTLE READER: You had better hope that the angel in question enjoys fishing as much as you do.
There is nothing inherently wrong with using reasonable available means to locate her to see if she feels as you do. In a less technological time, it used to be called "asking around," and it was done in social circles rather than on social media. We change with the times.
However, Miss Manners implores you to refrain from continuing this unflattering analogy of courtship to hooking fish. It will not benefit you in any social form.