PLS ADVISE ME, I AM 51 BUT IN LOVE WITH MY BEST FRIEND’S SON WHO IS 25 – WOMAN SHARES LOVE STORY

I never imagined I would find myself in this situation. I am 51, and I am in love with my best friend’s son, who is 25. Yes, I know what people might think, it’s unusual, even taboo but feelings don’t follow rules, and my heart doesn’t ask permission.

It started subtly. I had always been close to my best friend’s family. Her son, Daniel, was like the younger brother I never had. He would come around often, we’d joke, talk about life, and over time, I noticed myself looking forward to his visits a little too much. At first, I brushed it off as harmless affection. But the more I spent time with him, the more I realized my feelings were deepening into something I couldn’t ignore.

I’ve tried to rationalize it. I tell myself it’s just admiration, or that I care for him like family. But then he smiles at me, or laughs at a joke I didn’t even think was funny, and I feel a flutter in my chest that I can’t explain away. It scares me, honestly. I’m aware of the age difference, of the social expectations, of the questions people would ask if they knew. Yet, these feelings are real.

What makes it even harder is that I’m terrified of ruining relationships. I’ve known Daniel since he was a child, and my bond with his mother has been one of the most important friendships in my life. To confess my love could shatter everything, the trust, the friendship, and his comfort around me. So, I keep it locked inside, a secret I carry quietly.

Some days I feel guilty, thinking I shouldn’t even be having these thoughts. Other days, I allow myself to daydream about what life could be like if circumstances were different. I know it’s complicated. I know it’s unconventional. But I also know that denying what I feel doesn’t make it disappear.

Love is rarely convenient, I’ve learned. It doesn’t always follow society’s rules or timelines. All I can do is navigate my emotions carefully, respect boundaries, and hope that one day, perhaps, life will make sense of this heart I can’t seem to control.

For now, I remain caught between longing and restraint, loving quietly from afar, and cherishing the moments we share, even if they are just innocent conversations.

But I can’t help wondering, am I alone in feeling this way, or has someone else out there loved someone they weren’t supposed to?