Found the right one - but she doesn't know it.

This might sound like a "typical" situation but I'd like to ask for a little bit of the "benefit of the doubt." - Two years ago, I came across an incredibly attractive person in "the Chess world" who is one of Belarus's best female Chess players. (She's "famous" in that world and considered very beautiful - in fact if anyone from "the Chess world" reads this the odds are at least even-Steven that they'll know exactly who I'm talking about.) At the tournament, I had hoped to have an opportunity to talk to her but the opportunity didn't arise - the hotel was crowded and there was little to no opportunity to talk during the tournament since others were still playing their games. I did manage to grab a half-second to ask her a stupid question about her Facebook account but there was no real opportunity to start a real conversation. At best, at *very* best, she probably only vaguely remembers me. After meeting her even briefly though, I felt *very* taken with her - and here's the thing - I came across several of her interviews and was very, very impressed with her. I feel that she is a very wise, very decent, positive person who uses her extraordinary gifts to try to "lift others up" and make the world a better place. Yes, I *know* the grass is always greener and that behind the smoke and mirrors there's probably a bit of darkness and maybe even a lot more sadness than most would ever imagine. And I don't think she's perfect by any means. But I think she might just be perfect for *me* - and me for her. And - when they asked her in interviews about the type of man she might marry some day - I really do feel she was talking about someone with the qualities I have. YES, I know guys "tend to react to her a certain way," but I've examined my heart and I really do feel that I'm right about this. But as the song says, "My darling lives in a world that is not mine" and we're running out of time here. The last I knew she was in America going to grad school on a scholarship in exchange for playing Chess for the school. So despite all odds - instead of living 7,000 miles away she now lives 1500 miles away. (She's dropped hints in interviews that "freedom is important to her" - so she may be keeping her long-term options open - let me just leave it at that. I think she may be close with her family in Belarus though.) I just *can't* get over her; I feel that I'm right about this. But I don't want to seem "stalky" either. And believe me, this person does get attention from guys, if I seem "stalky" even a little bit then she's gonna bolt. In practical terms, I tried sending a Friend Request to her Facebook account but she's "not much of a Facebook person," it's very possible that she literally hasn't even seen it or if she did, only gave it a passing glance for two seconds or less. I just don't know what to do to get her attention without scaring her off. We need all the help we can get here because the clock is ticking *very* fast. Please consider this - what if I'm right? . . . .

This is so strange, because I feel like I relate. A lot. I came across someone like this about a year ago. I thought that maybe my ideas about him would change, but it's been over a year and nope, I still feel incredibly drawn to him. Just about everything is similar except for the chess part. Seriously. I contacted him online and told him that I thought he was so beautiful. And also that I didn't want to be really creepy. Surprisingly enough, he responded pretty excitedly and asked if I wanted to meet. I had responded to him, but I did not set up a way to meet him - he lives very, very far away as well. At the time I had first contacted him, I felt like a pretty gross human being - I was suffering a lot after the wake of some traumatic events. And though now I would think that I should be over such a thing if it was fleeting, I still feel like my heart flies, or something like that, when I see something of his online. I haven't even met him in person, hahaha! But for some reason, I think he is a beautiful soul. I've struggled in far too many unhappy relationships, so it's obvious that I have issues I need to resolve so that I feel like I 1) deserve a person I like that much and 2) have the confidence if he decides to reject me. The best thing to remember is to not let your desires get out of control in the way that you begin to treat her as something to win, and use ploys that are not really conducive to the start of a relationship - things like blurting out things so that she pities you, sounding like you are afraid of the choices she'll make just in case they don't include you, etc. etc. The reason I go into detail about this is because well, that actually has happened to me more than once. So the advice I'd give you is: be straightforward. Try and get a hold of her, tell her you have seen things about her, you like her personality and admire her abilities, talk about the time you met her, and shit: say you want to chat with her more, that you'd love to exchange emails/skype because you're interested in her. Confidence man! ;) The kind that doesn't come from an inflated ego... but genuine self assurance, you know :]. And if you have really been a great friend/potential romantic interest (because you already told her you liked her initially), she seems level-headed enough to know that this could be going somewhere. Maybe you can meet up because of your mutual interest - Like plan it around a convention/tournament you can attend and then go out afterwards. and the swarms of men around her? well you know what? I think the same thing about this guy I like! haha, that he must be surrounded with beautiful AND interesting women, or something, though he remains single. so I figure hell, I should still try. I think a huge part of it is just believing in yourself, remember that you want more for yourself, and that you will do something that only your soul can tell you is right because what the heck else are we here for - to just screw around in the physical, and not make our dreams come true? no! We are here to create our own heavens, and we are here to share it with others. If you can find that with someone else, I say why not do what you can to make it happen. It's not just fiction where dreams come true and people fall in love in the most beautiful ways: it happens in real life too, and many true stories are a great testament of this fact. You never know, she might think you are the one too. If you believe that is possible, then you are in a good spot to make this happen. <3 Man I hope this helps!