Dear Zoe:

I read  your thread and re-read your previous thread on the same topic.

I don’t think it  matters if “it’s normally not a good idea”, to remain friends, that  is. what matters is if  it  is a good idea for you. There is no rule on this matter that fit all people and  all circumstances. At least, there shouldn’t be such a rule.

In your case, the two of you were friends before and  after the closer relationship, and that has worked out for you. If it works well for the two of you, I don’t see a reason to end the friendship. I understand your worry about him starting to date, and  so, it  is  not a perfectly comfortable friendship, but what friendship is perfectly comfortable?

I wish it wasn’t so, but there is very little  in life that we  can count  on to remain the same, to continue, to be there tomorrow and  the next day and forever more.

anita