I think it’s safe to say that all of us have been in love with someone who we can’t be with for one reason or another.

Maybe they’re taken, maybe YOU’RE taken, or maybe there are some other circumstances that just make it impossible.

Let’s hear from folks on AskReddit about what’s stopping them from being with the people they love.

1. One-sided.

“The feelings are not mutual.

Been 5 years. Hurts much less but a lingering pain is always there.

Especially since I’ve not been able to find love since.”

2. Can’t forget her.

“I (guy) confessed to this girl and she told me she’s not into men.

I’m grateful at least she was honest about it before getting into more complicated and awkward scenarios.

It was a shock as I’ve never experienced such a reply and it’s been difficult trying to forget her.”

3. Your other half.

“He d**d 18 months ago. He was my other half.

The pain still hasn’t gone away. I’m not the same as I was before, & will never be again.”

4. Not into that.

“She wanted us to be open. I wanted us to be exclusive.

I was deeply in love with her and I really miss her.”

5. Been a long time.

“There is a woman I have been in love with for over 7 years that we met due to our mutual interest in Argentine tango.

We had an instant dance connection (very important in tango) and I learned, as I got to know her, that she was also a pianist, artist, studied ballet, and was fluent in two languages.

Over the years I’ve tried dating her off and on and she would usually demur, but at milongas she always greeted me with a big smile and a kiss on the lips, which, from what I understand, is very unusual for a Latina to do with someone she isn’t dated.

The last time I saw her she opened up to me for the first time about her marriage, and why it ended. Her ex married her because, in her words, “he wanted me to be the mother of his children,” and there was none of the companionship and love that would otherwise happen in a marriage.

It really scarred her and she said she didn’t want to date after the marriage ended–and that was before she and I had met.

We still have our friendship. I know she trusts me with things she doesn’t trust with others in the tango community. I just wish we could get together definitively because she stirs my soul like virtually no other woman I’ve ever met.

So what’s stopping me? I want any relationship to be truly mutual, and she’s not ready for that. Whether she will be or not remains to be seen.”

6. Work on yourself.

“Got to fix myself mentally, physically and financially first.

Unless she wants to be with a bum.”

7. All about timing.

“Bad timing. But we always find one another.

Hopefully we get together before I’m too old to enjoy it.”

8. Trauma.

“She doesn’t want to be with me.

Part of it is her trauma, part of it is my trauma. Our traumas don’t play well together.

Her instinct is to avoid intimacy, my instinct is to seek it out.”

9. Betrayed.

“I’m too hurt and angry after he betrayed me so much.

Still love him but it’s hard to be cohesive when I am constantly expect to be hurt again.”

10. It’s complicated.

“I have no experience on the matter.

I have trouble interpreting how she feels about me, I have trouble working out courage to make any sort of move, I have trouble establishing where exactly boundaries lie between us. Because of this I regret doing whatever I do and regret not doing whatever I don’t do.

We are both part of a friend group and I don’t want to make things awkward within the group. Also the last few times we gathered together there seemed to be an effort put in by other guys to not let me stay alone with her. Is that intentional or just a coincidence? Is that being done on her request or do we have an unspoken competition going on?

I could try to be more direct abput those things, but how do I do that without looking like an idiot or an a**hole?”

11. RIP.

“He passed away in September 2021.

I am still not over it, and I don’t feel that I could ever love anyone again like I loved him.

I just hope there’s an afterlife, so we can be together there, when it’s my time.”

12. What could have been…

“Thought I met my soulmate actually.

We met in college and were friends for three years. Always thought he might have a crush on me but he was in a really bad relationship and I would have never gotten involved. Then they broke up, we started hanging out more and things just felt right.

When we did start dating, it was incredible! No relationship is perfect but I’d never been so happy and in love. First time a man has looked me in the eyes and said “I can’t wait to marry you” and honestly I still think about that some times. Anyways, he cheated on me with his ex, got back with her and then they broke up after a week or so.

A couple of his friends left him because he just changed into a really shitty guy and I’m actually still friends with some of them myself. Now he’s doing what he loves and I’m happy for him! I just wish things had worked out, almost two years later and I’m still struggling not to think of him every day. I really hope I can get over him and find my own happiness again.”