Romantic thoughts and feelings for past love

  • Thread starter Thread starter doveofthenorth
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
D

doveofthenorth

Guest
I am a woman who had been in an online long distance sinful relationship with a married woman who had an emotionally abusive husband. We spoke through text, email, poetry, phone, and webcam which was sexual once.

I confessed this sin years ago but just recently I felt romantically attracted to her again, along with a deep spiritual draw when I sensed she had reached a great place of spiritual wellness through a picture I saw of her in my newsfeed and an intuitive feeling.

I am married to a man now and no longer am curious or interested in sex with a woman.

I had an intense feeling of purity and peace in my lungs and heart when I thought of her, but I also had some spontaneous recurring thoughts of wanting to kiss her. I wasn’t indulging in the thoughts, just letting them pass and going about my life.

Since the desire for friendship was so strong and I felt we were on the same page in a way that is rare in my life now, I was considering talking to her again. My husband was uncomfortable with this.

Then the romantic feelings left and since just the spiritual draw was there I thought I could get in touch with her. I told my husband I had journaled out an experience and felt completely healed from it, no more sadness or certain feelings, which was the whole thing with her but later he told me he didn’t know I was referring to her. I thought I had said that. But that’s okay on his part. I probably wasn’t clear.

Anyway, a few days later, I was looking through my phone contacts to edit the contact and accidentally called her. It rang quickly so I decided to text her and mention I called accidentally but that I wanted to catch up with her sometime soon and good night. Later I realized it was ambiguous, but I thought she was saying to call right then, since she said she wanted to catch up too, it’s fine to call, and I didn’t want to be hurtful- I was looking forward to talking, though I planned to talk to my husband first.

I told him I was making a phone call. He asked if I was calling my mom. I said I was calling a friend to catch up. We spoke. She mentioned a spiritual epiphany (I didn’t bring it up) but we didn’t get into detail since it was sort of late. She told me I could call her again, a good time to call. I had a light refreshing feeling of peace in my heart after we spoke. But my husband was devastated when he found out.

I told him I wouldn’t talk to her, and haven’t. But some slight romantic feelings and thought that it would feel nice to kiss her on the lips and be close has come up again though I’m strong enough not to think about it more than them just appearing and passing.

Through this time I have prayed the immaculate heart of Mary novena and am talking to Jesus along with the rosary some days and today the Litany of Loreto.

Is it a sin to have the desire to kiss her, the thoughts coming up? I’m thinking it’s also a sin that I didn’t tell my husband it was her I was going to call and was vague. I didn’t tell him til he asked who I was on the phone with after we hung up.

I’m fine about going to confession and am glad to own up to sin and confess. I just want to know the sins to confess.
 
Last edited:
The temptation to lust is not a sin, only that which is voluntary can be a formal sin. We do need to avoid the near and voluntary occasion of sin. So when a thought occurs which is temptation to sin, it is necessary to willfully reject it.
 
Last edited:
Crushes are insidious things. You think they’re gone, but then when you have a dispute with your husband or your life just kinda sucks and nothings going quite right, you may start to idealize “what could have been”.

Stay away from this person, you don’t need any more complications in your life 🙂
 
Thank you for your insight and helpful advice. You are right, it is insidious to feel something romantic for someone other than your spouse and many affairs start emotional. Especially with this history, I am being especially cautious because I felt way more than a crush and we had been connected many years. It didn’t start with a dispute with my husband though I know that can prompt feelings. Despite the current pandemic and a personal loss, I am very happy with my life, personal goals and inspiration and such, a great sense of gratitude and wellbeing, and compassion for those struggling and lives lost. Thank you for responding! Your advice to remain away and avoid complications is appreciated.
 
Since the desire for friendship was so strong and I felt we were on the same page in a way that is rare in my life now, I was considering talking to her again. My husband was uncomfortable with this.
Delete your contact with her. And get some counseling. Your husband is #1 in your life, and you should not be dwelling on this woman. it is unhealthy.
But my husband was devastated when he found out.
This surprises you??? He asked you NOT to have contact with this person and then you contacted and spoke to this person behind your husband’s back. That is a betrayal of trust.
I called accidentally
the spiritual draw was there I thought I could get in touch with her.
Since the desire for friendship was so strong and I felt we were on the same page
I had an intense feeling of purity and peace in my lungs and heart when I thought of her,
Is it a sin to have the desire to kiss her, the thoughts coming up?
these are all things you are actively doing-- ‘accidentally’ calling her. texting. going behind your husband’s back. attributing these things to “peaceful feelings” and prayer. GOD does not bring bisexual attraction into your life. So, attributing any of this to prayer, rosary, etc, is misplaced.

You need to STOP this behavior. Go to confession. Delete your contacts and block her number. Delete any contacts you have through social media, such as “de-friend”.
 
Hi, I was not implying that the prayers or rosary made this right or that being in touch with her was from God, only that I had been struggling and was staying consistent in prayer to remain devoted to God, to ask for Mary’s intercessions, and to meditate upon Mary’s heart. I totally understand why my husband was devastated even if it my initial reaction was to think it was okay because I was seeking a friendship. I realize this is wrong. I will go to confession tomorrow and confess talking to her behind my husband’s back because I realize this was wrong. The feelings of lightness, purity, and peace confused me, but they don’t justify any of this, I just wanted to express them. Will break ties as well. I will seek out counseling after that if I am troubled to be in touch. Thank you.
 
Last edited:
God bless you. I’m sure it’s a difficult struggle, and these old crush feelings die hard. That’s why we have to take all the extra effort to completely remove them from our lives.
 
Thise peaceful feeling you mention are temptations to get you to do the wrong thing because they aren’t fulfilling your vocation (marriage). Its very confusing so cut yourself some slack too. Willingness to confess is great. Remember that bad spirits tempt us to do a lesser good ie things that in increments move us toward sin even if it doesn’t appear sinful (ie. Whats the harm in catching up with a friend) and they also want you to act quickly before you can discern Gods will in all this… God is happy to wait…he knows the endgame. He is happy if you even tell him to wait while you test him ( cos hes humble) so test all inclinations. God bless and well done in coming clean to your husband too.
 
You’re having temptation for an old flame. And your husband isn’t comfortable with it. That should be the end of it there. Some spouses aren’t bothered by this stuff, some very definitely are; it’s important to not do the things that bother your spouse, even if you mean them perfectly innocently - which in this case is questionable because you’re having to fight off romantic feelings for this person, so it’s not a “Just Friends” relationship.

I’d say you put yourself in a near occasion of sin rather than willfully turned away from it. You’re kind of committing lust in your heart right now. That is a sin.

And you hid your behavior from your husband, and ultimately hurt him a lot. That’s also a sin.

Best to cut off the contact with this person from your past. It is not leading anywhere good. Sometimes people will always affect us romantically and we can’t ever be “Just Friends”.
 
Last edited:
Yes, I agree about sin entering slowly with little things. I am praying to remain pure with God, to test these things instead of acting impulsively. Thank you for your insight and encouragement.
 
Thank you, I agree. I’m against friendship with her, even if I thought for a brief time that it was possible when the romantic feelings weren’t there for a short time. I cut my ties. Going to confession before Mass tomorrow.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top