Anonymous wrote:OP here,
I am single and dating and got out of a long term relationship 1 year ago. I looked at his profile and he put he is single. I am going home for Thanksgiving. He is attractive but hooking up with him is not something I have considered with our messy history.
I was thinking of responding by saying if you have something to get off your chest go ahead and write it and that I did not think we had anything to discuss in person and leave it alone.
OP I'm a lot older than you are and been through the mill a few times. Just know this: Once someone shows you who they are, believe them. This ex has shown to be a cheat. There is really nothing more he can say that can change the facts. You don't need to meet with him; that only benefits him and puts you at risk.
There is a danger with exes; here it is: Unlike a new person, with an ex, you have a huge history, complete with emotionally charged memories and feelings, already stored away in your brain. All that emotion and connection has been locked down through suffering and time. But it's still there and can be unlocked. That is why, when vulnerable for whatever reason, married folks who would never cheat with someone they met after marriage, can fall back in love with the ex that they were in love with before they met their current spouse.
So the reason to stay away is the combination that 1) that the ex can be a danger in opening all that up again, AND 2) the ex is a cheater and leopards don't change their spots.
As for your best friend...it will be interesting to see how your friendship goes over the years. I just gave up my 30 yr. best friend....because a leopard doesn't change her spots. (it had nothing to do with cheating but everything to do with a type of selfishness that she never grew out of. We just weren't often in the situation where that could be (accidentally) tested)