Help! My childhood crush just dumped me!

OK. I have been in love with a certain celebrity (much older than I am) since I was 8 years old. I kind of met him recently, and we began cyber-flirting. It was a dream come true. But, then he became mean and dumped me and said that it would never work. I cry every day now. I grieve not only for the loss of him, but because I have wasted all my my life loving a man who doesn't want me and probably can't be loved. I feel like I wasted my whole life, loving this man. I can't tell my family. They wouldn't approve. I am dying inside. Help!

I'm dating myself here, but I came of age when pre-teens and young teens had crushes on David Cassidy, Davy Jones and my personal favorite, Mark Lindsey. Unlike now, though, those celebs were pretty sheltered from their fans. There was no Instagram or Twitter forums for fans to directly interact. Maybe that was better, in some ways, though any celeb accessing these is knowingly giving up some privacy. Sounds like the celebrity got in over his head. I have to guess: by 'kind of met' he responded to you on his Instagram or Twitter feed or something like that? He's much older than you. He may be married, in a relationship, or occasionally, people don't want to be in a relationship. Actually being in one is more work than some people want to spend. Probably he thought by being mean it would be easier for you to move on, you'd be mad and start to dislike him. I don't know what 'your whole life' consists of, you didn't mention your age. Some people are flirty by nature, and don't consider that for others more intense feelings are involved. The 'crush on celebrity' thing is kind of a normal phase of development. We fixate on an entertainer or musician, fantasize about being with him or her, and there's little risk. Our fantasies don't reject us, coerce us into sex, take up any more time than we want, don't require our attention when we're grieving or trying to decompress after work. We don't have to consider their feelings, or fix what they want for supper instead of what we'd prefer. I'm certain you are capable of being loved, most normal people are. The age gap makes a difference. As someone who has been 30, 40 50, and 60, the difference between 40 and 50 is minimal, the difference between 50 and 60 is enormous. Trust me, as a young and healthy person you do not want to be tied to someone who's physical condition is declining, and have HIS limitations curbing your physical activity. Now that this has come to an end, you can think about what qualities are important for you to seek out in a real, flesh-and-blood human whom you can spend time with, go to movies with, go on a hike or fix dinner together. You WILL get through this - but the first time we 'fall in love' and see it end is hard. Be good to yourself. Get enough sleep and eat nutritious food. Be aware of HALT: don't get to hungry, angry, lonely or tired. Your family 'wouldn't approve?' Don't know what that's about. They don't want to see you hurt, I'd guess, and would have tried to get you to move on from your crush when they felt it had taken up too much of your attention.

I would have serious doubts that a celebrity was cyber-dating. More likely you were taken in by someone impersonating this celebrity. Hope you didn't send him money or gifts.