First Posted: 1/19/2015

Dear Melissa,

I am in my mid-twenties and am dating a man significantly older than me, 14 years to be exact. I have always found myself attracted to older men and although my parents have their reservations, they are kind to him and are accepting of our relationship.

My friends however have stopped inviting me out because they say they can’t find anything in common with him to talk about. It feels like our relationship makes everyone but us uncomfortable, including his parents who have questioned my ethics and have asked him if I am a “gold digger”

How do I get people to see that we are together because we are genuinely happy and in love?

-Rejected Romantic

My Dearest Rejected Feeling Female,

Unfortunately with this you are going to have to bite the bullet. The only way I see you getting through this is by sticking together and showing people that you’re happy. Perhaps in time, others will see that what you have is genuine and age is just a number. If you guys hit it off and are happy, then the opinions of others will change in time as they see that love and happiness grow. You need to understand that your friends may never accept this guy due to the lack of common ground, they are more dance club and he is more golf club. You will see as you age though that you will have a very wide variety of friends of different ages in your circle. Some will be older, others younger and not everyone is going to always get along. Pick your battles and don’t force your guy on them if he makes them uncomfortable. Save those friends for a girls night out group.

Melissa