I'm have a confusing friendship with a man. He shows signs of to move further; has even said so but then seems distantan?

Adding to the above, I have laid the cards out on the table and told him how I felt about him, the response I get is that he needs to get things in his life situated first but he could really see himself being with me and does want to give it a shot. What things, you ask....well I found that I am not the only "family friend" he was spending time with. Another woman we know, "Married Woman" - her husband has beat her in the past and they have a very tumultuous relationship - well apparently my friend and her were closer than they should have been for quite some time BEFORE he and I became close friends.

And now she's kinda popped back into the picture. I feel bad for her and I know she comes to him as a shoulder to cry on, but they had a history, I guess he's like her knight in shining armor. He keeps telling me that he's been trying to get her to live her own life and let him live his.

He claims he is afraid to hurt her because she is emotionally weak and he's known her for about 20 years so he cant just toss her aside and ignore her. Every time he tries to somewhat push her away, she seems to come back a few weeks later with a new problem or situation that she needs his shoulder for. I DO feel bad for her, and I have NEVER asked him to stop being friends with her, I don't think I have that right and I would feel like a jerk because I know her situation and I know she really does need a friend, but this is why I won't let myself go further with him.

This is what he means when he says he needs to get his life situated. A huge part of me really wants to be with him, everything about us feels right (well with the one exception). But, it feels like a we're a family already.

I guess I know deep down that I need to get out of this, especially after looking up at what I just typed and reading it. I know what I should do, it's just hard to take that first step away from him; he's been my family. Someone quoted a saying to me that makes perfect sense "don't make someone a priority, when they only make you an option".

And right now, I think that's exactly what I am...an option, and not even the first option. I guess, I have to just let go. EmGuTzy 47 months ago.

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.