Hi John,

It seems very alien to me that this limited but frequent, and amicable contact is allowed but that’s as far as it goes. Especially since I am told that it is all in the past and is hardly given a second thought so why is there a need for the barrier?

It is strange that she is communicating with you on a regular basis. But it’s not strange that she is allowing only a limited contact, because everything beyond that (such as meeting on a regular basis) would carry the risk of turning into a romantic relationship, and she clearly doesn’t want that. She knows you want it, but she doesn’t. That’s why she is putting a barrier…

Lots of other friends and acquaintances seem not to get the same treatment as me.

Well, I guess because they don’t expect her to be romantically involved with them? You are in a different category because your intentions towards her are different…

I do wonder if I am just an annoyance that is tolerated, which is an idea that does not make me feel good about myself.

It’s possible that she feels a certain obligation towards you. I wonder if you are the one who primarily reaches out to her (and then she replies), or she also tends to initiate contact? I know she was the one to reach out first about 2 years ago, after 2 years of no contact, but how is it now? Does she initiate it or she just replies?