Far from the aisles of Target's cartoon beer T-shirts and ties with dogs on them, some things about fatherhood just never go out of style. From short, but sage pearls of wisdom, to funny stories about their childhoods — sometimes, Dads have more wisdom than they're given credit for, especially when it comes to advice for suffering from a broken heart. Broken hearts can take on many forms. From unrequited love to relationships ending, rejection is sometimes a pretty big part of life. And when everything seems wrong and broken, sometimes the best thing to do is to call up your dad (or some other older mentor figure who's lived longer than you).
Whether you thought you met the love of your life or your partner turned out to be kind of a jerk, heart break happens to the best of us. If you've eaten all the ice cream, cried to all the sad songs, and contemplated a dramatic haircut and you're still suffering from having your heart broken, sometimes hearing insights from people a little older and a little wiser is the cure you need.
I spoke to seven dads about their wisest advice about curing a broken heart, and what they say will make you laugh, and awww.
"Time will heal. Let yourself mourn the loss of the relationship and be okay with relying on yourself for a while."
— Jorge, 54
My dad said all the time to me, 'men are like streetcars; there’s another one coming every 20 minutes.' I still think about that.
— Dennis, 64
"Each day it gets a bit easier and soon it’s a memory. Be true to who you are and new friends are always in the future."
— Patrick, 56
"Eventually it’s over. You may be in the worst pain and think it's never going to end, but eventually it will and it will be over. I'm not sure that is that helpful but it's the truth. You're going to get through it. "
— Kenny, 45
"You know I want to say the cliché, 'Where does he live? I’m going to kill him.' And you know by that I just mean, I love you, and I don't want anyone to hurt you and if people do hurt you, remember there are so many other people that love you. If someone really loves you they don't make you suffer."
— John, 64
"Heart break sucks. And it’s physical as well as emotional. And you need to let yourself feel that."
— Marc, 46
"If you were constantly fighting or trying to work things out, it wasn't the right one. When it's the right one, it shouldn't be hard. It should be easy. And when you find them, they will never make you feel this way."
— Sharif, 68
Whether your heart has just been broken, or you've been dealing with heart ache for a while, remember to take time for yourself and to be slow and kind with your healing. Over time, you will start to feel better again. You may even feel ready to start dating again. If you're close to your dad or some other older mentor figure, try asking for advice or support when you're dealing with heartbreak — what they say may surprise you.
