Thanks for weighing in, Coconut. I’m learning this is probably just his communication style and the fact that he’s quick to respond when I text him makes me feel good about it. This is one of the problems I have though – I rarely “just know”. My default is to assume the worst and interpret things in the most negative light, to validate my bad self image and low feelings of worth. Trying and making progress to change this, but it’s definitely a slow process with a lot of steps backward along the way.

Anita, thanks for responding. Figured it probably just wasn’t showing up. Even though I could see it, when looking at the page of all the threads, it continued to say you were the last one to post. Weird! Anyway, about the real issue lol and to answer your question…when I expressed my love and was met with “no you don’t”, I heard “don’t develop such strong feelings for me because that isn’t what this is and I don’t feel the same”. That was only about three years ago and I’m not sure I feel much differently about it now, although being removed from it I can see that maybe it was his own defenses at play.