Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Relationships

Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you need help urgently or expert advice, please see our domestic violence webguide and/or relationships webguide. Many Mumsnetters experiencing domestic abuse have found this thread helpful: Listen up, everybody

Are you in love with someone who you can't have?

88 replies

NeatSoda · 23/04/2010 21:13

Just wondering really.

I'm not, but last week someone told me my ExP hasn't slept a full night since we broke up six years ago and describes himself as still in love with me. He would know that we're not going to get back together, I'm married, and anyway, it was him who dumped me (horribly), so he knew telling my friend wasn't in any way intended to change the situation, he just believes himself to be in love with me forever. (He probably won't be, I know, I'm not that special!)

I can't feel triumphant about 'winning the break-up'. It's just sad really. The whole thing got me thinking about that feeling of deep yearning that I remember from an unrequited university love. It's such a waste of feelings - but also a bit beautiful?

OP posts:
NeatSoda · 23/04/2010 23:04

Cuckoosnest - I've had a crush on a guy I work with too very recently but nowhere near the elevated feeling of love. That one was more just lust and so was a bit more quashable cos it felt a bit more 'real'. The romantic fantasy guy is so unreal that it couldn't hurt me.

Would it be worth exorcising him somehow? Would he help you do it?!

OP posts:
NeatSoda · 23/04/2010 23:06

(Oh, sorry, lemondifficult/NeatSoda same person. One more Property/DIY section!)

OP posts:
Stumbleine · 23/04/2010 23:10

NeatSoda - what's your situation with your crush? Are you single?

Not sure what you mean by 'exorcise it'?

We are in touch yes.

Stumbleine · 23/04/2010 23:10

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

NeatSoda · 23/04/2010 23:15

No, not single, happily married and glad to be rid of the crush.

By 'exorcising' I guess I meant, would it be better not to be in love with this man and to try to get over it by doing something about it. (I don't know what tho! Ask if you could wash his skiddie pants? Spend Christmas with his difficult parents?!) Or is it better to accept you'll love him forever and just get on with that even if it makes you sad?

OP posts:
halfaworldaway · 24/04/2010 09:31

Cuckoo..you're not pathetic. I could have written your post.

Even when I got married to dh I thought in the back of my mind I'd have a good 10 years with him then it would work out with my other love.

13 years later ...still waiting.

He'll never 'go away' either. And I don't want him too. He's part of my life and always will be. We are just on different journeys.

For now.

onlyjoking9329 · 24/04/2010 13:28

i guess you could say that i continue to be in love with someone that i can't have, i did struggle with being able to love someone else until i realised that it was possible to be in love with two blokes at the same time.
i guess feelings are very different to actions.

sadstory · 24/04/2010 14:37

Yes.

I love this man with every part of me. I'd love the opportunity to wash his pants and listen to him snore.

I had no idea what love was until he came into my life. I had no idea it was possible to feel so at home, so understood and so wanted.

When I'm with him I feel like I've finally landed on a planet where I speak the language, after a whole lifetime of feeling like an alien.

He fulfils every need - for conversation, laughter, nurturing. He knows exactly what I need and gives it to me without asking for anything in return.

I feel like I've known him all my life - the first minute I saw him I felt as if it was a reunion rather than a meeting.

And no, we can't be together. I ended our relationship last Wednesday.

We had one year - a year that was basically a non-stop conversation. Thanks to him, and that year we shared, I have more confidence, more idea of who I am and more self-awareness than I've ever had before. He has made me believe I am beautiful, inside and out.

I have no idea how to start living without him, but I know one thing - I've no intention of getting over him. I'm going to keep him in my pocket forever.

cariboo · 24/04/2010 14:38

yes

cariboo · 24/04/2010 14:40

cuckoosnest! can I CAT you??

Janos · 24/04/2010 16:02

Nope - nothing beautiful about it all. It's a waste of time and emotional energy.

People who waste vast chunks of their lives mooning in this fashion are pretty pathetic tbh.

I don't mean fondly and wistfully recalling past relationships from time to time btw - am thinking of situations where people who use this as an excuse for not doing anything with your life.

oneorboth · 24/04/2010 16:21

sadstory.

i understand totally.

that is exacally how i feel about someone. we cant be together. but i will forever want to be.

he gave me my life back and i will be forever grateful.

i too have no intention of getting over him. i may date other people, im hoping one day i may fall inlove with someone else, though i suspect a little bit of my heart will always belong to him.

we are currently not talking, but are still in contact via the magical powers of the internet. we know were each other are should we so wish.

i have no idea if this is the end for us, or still the beginning of our journey, but for all the heartache i wouldnt change a thing.

sadstory · 24/04/2010 16:34

oneorboth - it's very hard, isn't it?

Nothing to add, just wanted to acknowledge your post and offer empathy.

Hope things turn out the way you want.

Bucharest · 24/04/2010 16:49

Sadstory, (and others) how beautifully you tell your stories...

Mine is similar to HAWA's. First true love, he was from a different country. I was there, for 6 mths. 24 yrs ago. Have never forgotten, will never be able to, or want to. It was love at first sight.

I am happily living with dp and have a daughter. But he will always be there. It's the reason I can never go back to the place I was with him. Because one glance, one word, and I'd throw everything away. Which would be very very wrong.

I have, and do, google, search him out on FB, google streetview the streets we walked together, listen to the music we listened to together.....(am doing so as I write)

hey ho.

uhohgirl · 24/04/2010 17:00

I am, kind of.

I am currently with him, it's just that we won't be able to be together long term.
He's amazing and I love him and it's lovely being with him, although he has his share of bad habits and drives me crazy too. But it's long distance, he is Arab (my family are terrified of Arabs despite never having met any) and doesn't have much money. So I fear that pressure from them and their friends will drive us apart. And even if I was determined to be with him, I think the complications are too great. He would struggle to get a visa here for various reasons and I don't want to live in his country long term, although it is very liberal and beautiful and the people are lovely.

It's sad because he has all the qualities I like in a man - he is hard working, funny, kind, loving and amazing with children. He is gorgeous and he adores me. But reality gets in the way sometimes doesn't it?

I don't know how and when I will walk away. Neither of us wants to right now. And he is my best friend above all. But then the longer I stay with this the harder it will be to lose him.

Cuckoosnest · 24/04/2010 18:36

cariboo- yes, but how?

Nice to hear others' stories.

(Get ready to vom)

Back then we were always really close, physically but not sexually. After a night out we would always curl up asleep together. I used to wake in the morning scared to breathe or move because I knew that when I did the night would be gone and we'd go back to being just friends again.

One of my most beautiful memories is lying against his chest and hearing his heart beating inside. I still remember that feeling like it was yesterday. .

petitmaman · 24/04/2010 18:50

So mice to hear everyone else stories. I thought it was just me. I am in love with someone who is my best friend. I have known him since I was 7. When I was about 15 everyone always said we would get married. But life got in the way. I don't know how long I have been in love with heim. I only know that I am. He has had a couple of long term relationships. I don't know how I will feel if he gets married. I don't moon over him but feel lucky to have this wonderful person in my life.

petitmaman · 24/04/2010 18:51

Sorry about typos

LeQueen · 24/04/2010 18:51

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MarshaBrady · 24/04/2010 19:03

I dumped someone to be with dh, I don't regret that for a second. Would hate to ever bump into him or have any contact. Funny ol world.

Niftyblue · 24/04/2010 19:29

Cuckoo

dunceinlove · 24/04/2010 21:16

yes-i am. it SUCKS.

Runnerbean · 25/04/2010 08:21

sadstory, your words are beautiful, and echo my feelings exactly.
For 25 years I was completely obsessed with my first love, had so many other relationships I've lost count, always searching for that 'special' something, but was always in love with him.
I went to a hypnotherapist for other issues, and I discussed him there and wanted my therapist to 'erase' him from my thoughts so I could just love my husband, as I should, and get on with my life. I felt like he'd ruined all my other relationships, I felt quite angry at him for always 'being' there.
We have been in contact via FB and FR over the years, just friendly catch up, 'hi, how are you?' But he didn't know how I really felt.
Then fate put him in my path 3 months ago, after 22 years we were face to face.
But he was now a 40 year old man, very overweight, quite grey, not the 18 year old boy I had in my head!

I wanted closure, I wanted to feel nothing, I wanted to be repulsed, I wanted to feel ridiculous that I'd been pining over an 'image' in my memory.

But the outside appearance doesn't matter because inside it's still him.
We've spent the last 3 months getting to know each other again, I've been married twice, have two dds, have had a wonderful career, travelled the world.
He is married, has two dds.
He is everything I want, he is perfect, he is what has been missing my whole life, we have so much in common it's bizarre, we seem to be able to read each others thoughts. I've never felt so comfortable, so happy, so right, just by being with someone, I can tell him anything, he is my perfect match, I feel like I've been lost my whole life and now I've come home.

After a couple of weeks of seeing him again, and lots of silly, friendly, texts I told him how i felt, I expected him to laugh, and say,
"I'm very flattered, you're very nice, but I'm married and were just good friends, how ridiculous, we were kids when we went out."

What he actually said was,

"I've been in love with you for 25 years, I've been obsessed with you, I hardly go 2 days without thinking about you, I used to ride by your house hoping to see you, I had your phone number in my phone for 10 years, I only joined FB and FR to find you, I want to be with you and spend the rest of my life with you, you are perfect in every way!!!!"

You could have knocked me over with a feather!!!!

So where do we go from here?

I knew I had to sleep with him, (we never did 25 years ago, too young) because then if the sex was crap, then that would be the end of that, we had to get that bit out of the way. So that was his 40th birthday present from me.

The sex was amazing, I'd never experienced anything like it, ( and believe me I've had more than my fair share of bed partners!)

And now?

What would you do?

Should we leave our marriages and be together?
It's what we both want.

It does seem ridiculous in black and white, written here.

I've stopped seeing him, I don't want to creep around having a steamy affair, so we just talk every day.
He says he will leave his wife, the relationship with my dh has broken down, my heart was never in it, I don't want to be here anymore.

watch this space.

halfaworldaway · 25/04/2010 08:27

oh Runnerbean, I don't know what to say except that I understand exactly. I know that feeling of 'coming home'.

Just take things slowly.

x

Runnerbean · 25/04/2010 08:42

Thanks,
yes that is what we are trying to do, it's easy to get caught up in the romance of it all, but there are 4 children to consider, I stopped seeing him, so as not to be 'blinded' by lust. It's agony not seeing him though, I wish i could walk away but how do I erase 25 years of emotion?