Dear Donna,

I met a man who appears to be a terrific guy, but he is short. I always have been attracted to tall men, and the one man I dated who was short definitely had the “short man syndrome.” He was dominating, aggressive and quick to anger. Do you find that to be true of short men with whom you work? – Melissa

Dear Melissa,

No. Those traits can apply to any height, and it has more to do with temperament. Had Napoleon been nice, there might be no such thing as the “short man syndrome.”

My female clients prefer tall men because they are more attracted to tall and it makes them feel safer. The reality is that someone closer to your height is more compatible for walking, dancing, sleeping and most other shared activities. Give the guy a chance and you might be surprised how quickly his height becomes a non-
issue.

Dear Donna,

I ended a relationship two months ago, and my ex asked if we still could be friends. However, it is obvious to me that she wants more than friendship. I don’t want to hurt her anymore, but I also don’t want to encourage her by spending more time together.

I have met someone who I really like, and spending time with my ex-girlfriend is awkward. Is there a nice way to end a friendship after ending a relationship? – Mark

Dear Mark,

Tell your ex-girlfriend you have met someone and that likely will do it. Staying friends after a relationship with is not easy, especially if you are the one who chose to end it. If she still wants to maintain a friendship, tell her you need a break for a couple of months. Hopefully she will have moved on by then.

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Shugrue owns Perfectly Matched. Her column runs biweekly in Family. Email questions to donnashugrue@comcast.net or visit perfectlymatcheddating.com.