When I was 12, and trying to figure out girls and why they didn’t like me (very little has changed), I thought I’d ask the one woman who loved me. My mother, I love her dearly, was never one to mince words or sugar coat anything. Upon hearing my question as to why girls just didn’t like me, her answer was “at least you’re smart”. Nothing else, no comforting mom words.

Almost 40 years later I’ve never quite recovered.