I am 48 years old man, have always been in love with my younger brother(44 years) (cousin). He and I were best friends since childhood and I am too much in love with him. For last 23 years, we have parted (fought) and I have avoided him like anything. He knew all about my love (letters/stalking/begging/crying) and thats why he distanced himself from me. He came back after 23 years (only on whatsapp chat), and again i started crying and what not and emotionally totally unstable. My wife, kids and even i am surprised how bad it is within me. He wants me as a friend (not overly emotionally invested). How can I be a normal human being with him? Is it even possible? I hate being like this, how can i let go.... It's for so long what help do i need if any.

Ans:

Dear D,

Emotional maturity is what is in question here. He still is at an age where commitment is not something he is aware of.

It’s like try this relationship, if it doesn’t work, try another one and so on….

Give him time to settle his emotions till he is ready for a committed relationship; which does not mean, you wait around for ever.

Now that you are ‘friends’ or not, please surround yourself with people your age and if an interesting person comes along, see where that goes.

As far as being attached to him goes, do you really want to continue to inflict pain on yourself by basing your entire emotional world with him?

The world is huge and so are your sights…. Focus on yourself and what you love and be in that space to find yourself again.

Be kind to yourself, all the best! 

Ans: Dear Rinku,

If you know in your heart that this man does not value you, why would you still want to pursue a relationship, that too, an extramarital one? Well, I can't comment on the choices you are making concerning your marriage, but to answer your question, you should definitely call it quits with this guy. You miss him, but the reality is he does not. Is that your worth?

Ans: Dear Anonymous,
1. You say that you have always been a bi which means that you are repeatedly going to find yourself in situations where you will be attracted to other men as well like what's happening right now to you
2. Your wife does not know which means that hiding and living a dual life is going to make it highly stressful on you
3. The current guy wants to get married which could mean that he was just experimenting and exploring with you and that after his marriage he may not want to risk any of this
4. The guy wants to stay in touch with you BUT because of 1, 2 and 3 above, you will never be able to have anything stable with him
5. Your intimacy with your wife is bound to get impacted with you dividing your mind time between two people

So, either you 'come out' to your wife and well, that may not end well but you will need to manage the situation carefully OR you continue to choose to live the life that you have been before you knew...

All the best!
Anu Krishna
Mind Coach|NLP Trainer|Author
Drop in: www.unfear.io
Reach me: Facebook: anukrish07/ AND LinkedIn: anukrishna-joyofserving/

Ans: For now, stop writing long emotional messages or expecting replies. Each unanswered note reopens your wound. Accept that he cannot give you the same depth of emotion — and that’s not your failure. Instead, write those letters privately, for yourself — not to send, but to release. Gradually, you’ll start to reclaim power over your emotions instead of being ruled by them.
Also, don’t judge yourself harshly. You are not “abnormal.” You loved deeply, and that love didn’t find a home — that’s grief, not madness. Healing will come not by cutting him off completely, but by building a new emotional foundation where his existence doesn’t destabilize you.
Yes, it is possible to live peacefully, but it will take time, patience, and professional support to help you untangle 30 years of suppressed emotion. You deserve that healing.