Dear Ifty:

Your story is not as clear to me as I need it to be.

If I understand correctly your friend would have been a wonderful choice for you if he wasn’t from another religion. Am I correct?

And the problem with him being of a different religion is that your family would not approve of him? (his family would have been okay with him marrying you)?

The current man in your life clearly reads like a bad choice for you, but you are with him.. because he is of the same religion/ your parents approve of him?

You wrote: “Financially my family is fully dependent on me”- I figure, if they are fully dependent on you financially, they don’t get to choose who you should marry- you choose for yourself.

Reads like the friend would be an excellent choice, and your current boyfriend- not so.

anita