View Single Post
 
Old Dec 02, 2011, 02:21 PM
Perna's Avatar
Perna Perna is offline
Pandita-in-training
 
Member Since: Sep 2006
Location: Maryland
Posts: 27,289
I would not do so much talking with him now that you have moved; if he really wants you, he can move like he offered? He can literally show you he wants to be with you by being with you, not just calling/texting and trying to string you along.

I think a relationship that is not "formal" (i.e., engagement or marriage) is much harder to have hard-and-fast rules about; you were the one I believe who wanted to keep the relationship "secret" for your ex's benefit? Obviously he was doing some ex's fence mending on his own, trying to let her down gradually, and/or figure out what he wanted. All that happens when there are no formal ties; it's fine to say one is "committed" but one really isn't until one lives with, has children with, becomes engaged, marries, etc.; anything else is more just "going steady", getting to know the other person, dating.

Wanting to be with someone is not the same as saying to that person, "I am going to date you exclusively." We all have multiple friends and have friends of the opposite sex, ex's, etc. but if an ex is not ex, then they are current. Communicating with an ex when you are in another self-avowed, committed relationship should be done only with the ex! I know everything my husband says/thinks about his ex-wife, and, since she and I are "friends" I tell him all I am saying/doing with/thinking about her too.

There should be no drama about ex's; they are either ex or they are not! That doesn't mean one cannot talk to them but I think one shares/is transparent with a current love all contact with a previous love! The two of you had no trouble deciding to be secret together and that's pretty much how it should be about most subjects, especially ex's.

Think of what you want for you; you moved for your own reasons, think of your ex in line with those thoughts -- let him come be with you rather than thinking in terms of you wanting to be with him? Allow him to make a grown up decision for himself and act on it.

I have discovered for myself that if I quit with the assumptions about others based on what I want (you want to be with him so assume, since you are "there" that he wants to be with you) and let others act independently (be with me) that it makes it easier to understand my relationships. You have moved on to another location; let him get a job in your location and a place to live for himself, get his life doing what he wants it to do near you because he wants to be near you! Even sharing a place at this point would be premature; you would probably assume that because he was in your place that he wanted to be there and that might/might not be true as he could also be using you, you wouldn't know. Another person who doesn't appear to run their own life very well, setting goals for themselves and going after them and sharing them with loved ones, etc. is probably not going to be the best partner for your own life? Even if they claim to only be living with you while they find a place/job that does not show very good planning or organization skills that you may want/need in a committed relationship later?
__________________
"Never give a sword to a man who can't dance." ~Confucius