He says we can't date because of distance. Do I keep him as a friend?

A female age 36-40, *ontknow84 writes:

I started talking to this guy who I met on a dating site back in September. It was very casual and after a month of going back and forth with texts we finally met up for dinner. I almost did not go because we both kept canceling previous dates and I figured that we probably were not ever going to meet. Needless to say we did end up meeting up and it was funny b/c when we met he told me that he was feeling the same way and thought we were never going to meet as well. I was so pleasantly suprised when I saw him and we got to talking. I had absoultey no expectations for our date, and it went so good. When we met we were living 15 mins apart from each other, but I was moving that next week about 40 mins away to my sisters house for one month, and then in Jan I was moving 1hr and 30 mins away bc of a new job. He was bummed about it and kicking himself for not meeting me sooner. That week we went on 4 dates with each other. I moved that next week and at that point we saw each other once a week and were talking all the time. Things were going pretty fast and I was swept of my feet. We were talking on the phone all the time, he was telling me he missed me, talking about future, saying i was the light of his life. He mentioned the distance being a potential problem bc we would never get to the next level once I moved again, but I told him we'd be fine. That continued on for the first month and then he pulled away completely. I was so confused. I confronted him and he said things were going too fast. I was hurt but I backed away. We didnt speak for two weeks and then we had plans to see a concert so we saw each other and the sparks were back. When we are together it is great, but he always says the distance is a problem. So in Jan I moved farther away. We did not see each other for a month (he was supposed to come down a couple times and cancelled last min). We finally saw each other on Saturday and it was amazing. He is not a drinker and we were drinking and i asked him what is going on with us and he started saying that he has been in relationships since HS and this year is his first time being single ever (he's 27 was in a couple long term relationships all which he lived with the gf , his last broke up like 6 months ago) He told me that it sounds horrible but he needs to be single and get it out of his system. He said he really cares about me and I am absoultely everything that he wants and he could see us being longterm, but with the distance and him not being ready he knows he will hurt me if we even attempted anything. I told him i understood bc i came out a nine year relationship 1yr 1/2 ago and i needed to find myself and be single for a while. But the difference is now i am ready to be with someone. He said he was sorry and he was scared to hurt me and tell me those things. I felt relieved that he told me that although it hurts to hear im perfect for him, but we still can't be. We spent the night and next day together and when i was leaving he hugged me so tight n told me he was really sorry. I told him i understood. My whole way home i thought about what to say to him so i told him that im not mad at him and appreciate his honesty, but we need to go seperate ways atleast for now. He told me he understands. Im upset, and hoping he will realize he misses me but also scared. So the real question....do I cut all contact with this man? Or do I keep him around as a friend?

View related questions: broke up, spark, text

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A female reader, Dear Mandy  +, writes (16 February 2012):

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A female reader, dontknow84  +, writes (16 February 2012):

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A female reader, Dear Mandy  +, writes (16 February 2012):

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A female reader, dontknow84  +, writes (16 February 2012):

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A female reader, dontknow84  +, writes (16 February 2012):

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A female reader, Dear Mandy  +, writes (14 February 2012):

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