First of all, salam alaikum everyone, and good night. I hope you’re all doing well. I want to share a story about heartbreak, and I would really appreciate your thoughts. If you feel that I did something wrong, or that I didn’t try hard enough, please let me know. We’ve already made a decision about this, and we don’t want to go back to the same situation or relationship, because it may just end in pain again. So, here’s my story: I had a best friend. We talked a lot, we vibed together all the time—she understood me, and I understood her. We were close like that for almost two years. Then one day, we started developing feelings for each other. She was the one who proposed that we start dating, and I accepted. The truth is, I had always been avoiding a romantic relationship with her because she’s older than me. She’s around 31, and I’m 27. Culturally, my family wouldn’t accept me marrying someone older than me, and I knew that. So I tried to stay away from anything romantic, even though I loved her too. But when she finally proposed, I accepted—because I loved her. I explained to her that even though I loved her deeply, I wouldn’t be able to marry her because of cultural and family reasons. She was devastated and disappointed. Eventually, she decided that we should separate and stop talking to each other. That decision was incredibly hard for me to accept. For a while—about three to five days—we didn’t talk. But after that, we started talking again, just as friends. Still, she said it would be painful for her if either of us decided to move on and be with someone else. So, she insisted again that the best thing for us is to distance ourselves completely. But for me, I want her to accept that even though we can’t marry, we can still be friends—because even her family has accepted me. I’ve built a relationship with them, independent of her. Even now, if we stop talking, I don’t think my relationship with her brothers or family will end. That’s one reason I don’t want to stop talking to her. But she insists we should stop. She said if I have anything to do with her family, that’s okay—but she and I should be over. So, after everything I’ve said, here’s my question: Should I have tried harder to convince my family to accept her, or was walking away the right decision? Thank you for listening.