DEAR ABBY: Last year, against the advice of my friends and family, I forgave my ex-boyfriend. He swore he loved me and wanted to spend the rest of his life with me. I let him back into my life and let him talk to me about marriage and the future.
Within a few months he was up to his old tricks again, chasing other women, so I had to send him packing.
How do I forgive myself for being so stupid? I believed he loved me, and I am furious with myself for falling for his charm and his lies. My family isn't being very supportive because they didn't want me to reconcile. Please help me. -- FOOLED ME TWICE IN COLUMBUS, OHIO
DEAR FOOLED: Please stop beating yourself up. You're an optimistic person who believed in second chances, and your ex-boyfriend abused your trust.
Now that you understand he is incapable of change, it's time to learn from this experience and go on with your life. We learn more from our mistakes than our successes -- and the lesson you will take from this is to draw the line sooner if you notice a person's words don't match his deeds.