Dear Kevin

Dear Kevin,

OK, I’m just going to come right out and say it: I think I love you! I feel very vulnerable admitting that. You say you love me too but I don’t know whether to believe you. My heart’s been broken before and I’m scared to trust you.

I’ve just ended a very damaging relationship, you see. He was a bully and he stole my heart – kept it locked up for 11 years. It felt like the longest winter. But I finally got the courage to lop off the dead wood and the promise of a second springtime is really tempting. I’m ready to bloom again.

But before I can commit to you long term, I need you to be honest with me. I need you to tell me what you really believe…what you really think…how you really feel about me and life and the world. Can you do that?

And please don’t use your lines on me…they were appealing in the beginning but I’m already growing tired of them. I don’t want a revolutionary or a mandarin. I need a man who’s not afraid to think with his heart; who speaks freely and turns his words into action.

I want a brave, compassionate, empathetic man who’s strong enough to stand up for what’s right and carry me against the tide when I falter under the weight of others’ expectations. I need a man who tolerates difference and treats me as his equal. Can you be that man?

Will you promise to keep the channels of communication open and listen to me when I talk? Will you comfort me when I cry and laugh at my jokes? Will you admit your mistakes, take responsibility for your decisions and apologise when you’re wrong?

And will you help me to become a better woman? I know I’ve got faults – I need to be more tolerant and take better care of my garden for a start. You tell me I’m charismatic, beautiful and cultured and that's really flattering but I can also be complicated and I’ll probably be a burden at times too. Are you willing to embrace me warts and all? Will you go the long haul in this relationship?

I’ve taken a leap of faith and exposed my heart to you. I’m begging you not to stomp on it or discard it. And I’m pleading with you not to lie and cheat your way through this relationship.

Finally, a word of warning: I’ve rediscovered how brave I am and I won’t hesitate to throw you out if you don’t pull your weight in this partnership.

Yours (for at least the next three years)

Australia

PS Can you please lose that Kevin 07 t-shirt. It's a shade of overkill