Dear Annie: I have been married to “Bart” for 21 years. I knew he had issues with alcohol. He has a pattern of getting sober for a few years and then relapsing over and over. He is truly a wonderful guy, but when he drinks, he’s like a different man. I feel as if I am living with Jekyll and Hyde.

It’s been almost two years since I wrote you that message from my “guyless island” asking for rescue, but I wanted to let you know that your advice helped me to find the lifeboat! I finally sent Scott a message on Facebook to initiate a real conversation again (as we had met once briefly in real life). This led to exchanging numbers, sending creative and exciting text messages back and forth and then meeting in person for a date, at long last. We went to Mike’s Grill, a great hamburger place in our hometown, and everything just seemed to fit and flow naturally. We officially got together in July 2011, and have been going strong ever since! Once I realized that I do indeed have the “ovaries” to go after someone I care about, it was such a powerful feeling. I no longer have that overwhelming anxiety from high school, which had me in a constant state of self-doubt, unable to take any action. Though I no longer need the skill for romance, applying your universal rejection truth to my life has really helped me grow in confidence. Honestly, it scares me to think what would have happened had I never taken that initial, real chance, giving Scott the little nudge he (well, both of us) needed to seal the deal on what has become one of the most rewarding, beautiful relationships of my life. Thanks again!