Issue date: 2/14/07 Section: Feature

In the midst of Valentine's Day, it's important to remember that not all romance ends in wedding bells and kisses. Some end in heartbreak and tears. And sometimes you're the one breaking hearts. It's life. But if you're going to make someone cry, you have to do it right.

Most relationships die out because of miscommunication and dishonesty. Don't bring those qualities to the break up, because they will wreck you. Things aren't working out and every second that you don't lay down your feelings is a second spent making things worse. Sit down and tell him or her why your relationship isn't working out and why it's too far gone to try and fix it. Don't be hateful about it, but try to explain your reasoning as best you can without using one of the four-letter words I'm not allowed to print. If you can't speak the words, write them out, but deliver yourself. When he or she's done reading it, sit down and explain yourself. Anything less is down right rotten.

If you start to break up with someone because of some really good reason, like going out of state to college, stick to your guns. Don't soften up in the middle, no matter how sweet the thankful make-up sex will be. Should you chicken out, you'll be setting yourself up for disaster when your reason for breaking up comes back up. Make-up sex won't keep you in Ohio, but it will keep you in a crumbling, painful relationship.

Things are a little different if you're on the receiving end, albeit a bit easier. Simply put: Suck it up. Welcome to Dumpsville, population you. Well, you and about everyone else. Just don't do anything stupid with your life. If you aren't alive the next day, well, you took things a little too seriously. If you are alive, you don't want to have to live down your spurned love's actions. Restraining orders are pretty hard to explain to future dates.

At the end of the day, it's better to be heartbroken or loveless than it is to be trapped in a bad relationship. Not everyone's going to be happy, but sometimes you don't know what happiness is until you've been sad. It's life.

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