A woman who goes by u/Dynamic-Spoon on Reddit shared a story in the r/GirlDinnerDiaries subreddit about a man she had been dating who wanted to keep his options open. Rather than wait around to see if he would choose her, she decided to walk away. The post has received 5,900 upvotes and 172 comments.
Things had been going well for the original poster (OP) and the man she was seeing. They had a routine that worked for them, got along well and had been dating for about two months. OP thought their relationship was getting more serious. That was until things started getting awkward.
“About three weeks in, he suddenly told me he wasn't comfortable with public affection and thought we were moving too quickly. I respected his boundaries and started checking before initiating hugs or holding his hand in public. He later told me that he'd just been overthinking everything and I didn't need to ask anymore,” she wrote.
The two eventually discussed becoming exclusive, but neither wanted to rush into anything serious. There was one major difference, though: OP wasn't seeing anyone else, while he was still dating other women.
When they revisited the conversation, the man reportedly told her he would let her know if his feelings changed toward her or any of the other women he was seeing.
For OP, that was a problem. She felt as though she was being kept around as an option until he found someone he liked better.
Understandably, the situation upset her. Her best friend reminded her that no man should make her feel so bad about herself, and OP decided to end things.
But that's when the situation took an unexpected turn.
When OP and the man talked about ending their relationship, he suddenly said she was the only woman he wanted to date. He reportedly wanted to salvage things between them, but by then, OP had made up her mind.
They ended the conversation, and she hasn't spoken to him since.
Still, OP wondered whether she had overreacted by walking away. Redditors, however, seemed to have a different take on the situation.
Redditors Praise Her for Knowing Her Worth and Walking Away
“OP, you did not overreact. In fact, congratulations on not being out of touch with your feelings and on being able to articulate in time! And he may not be a 'bad' person but he's definitely not a good person either, definitely not good to be in a mature, adult, respectful romantic relationship,” one Redditor wrote.
Another commenter suggested that the man might have been holding out for someone better.
“Something tells me he is a ‘grass is always greener’ person. He doesn’t want to ‘tie himself down’ to a single partner because what if something better comes along? But now you’ve decided you’re better off single than with him and now you are important because you are unattainable. Good to walk away now. I speak from experience when I say he won’t get better.”
A third commenter pointed out how OP's decision to set boundaries changed the dynamic.
“This is also the perfect illustration of why setting boundaries is the right way to go. He suddenly wanted to choose you the minute he realized his behavior wasn't enough for you. But prior to that he was happily seeing multiple people and you were the one who didn't feel enough,” they wrote.
Judging by the comments, Redditors largely supported OP's decision to walk away rather than wait for someone who wasn't ready to commit to her. For many commenters, the situation was a reminder that knowing what you want—and being willing to leave when a relationship doesn't meet those expectations—can make all the difference.
The Daily Dot was unable to independently verify the claims made in u/Dynamic-Spoon's post, which are based solely on the Redditor's account shared on r/GirlDinnerDiaries.
