So I met another guy.

He’s sweet, intelligent, and his goals align with mine. He has spiritual depth, which is a rare occurrence I’m noticing. He’s a bit older than I am — not my usual type as far as looks go, but his personality and the way he thinks are attractive.

I knew he was attracted to me and had a little crush, but I paid him no mind. That is, until one day when we were both on break — coincidentally, at the same time. He struck up a conversation, which took me by surprise. I was genuinely interested and impressed with how closely his ideals aligned with mine. I didn’t go too deep — it was our first real conversation — but it kept me thinking for the last couple of days: could this be something?

He texts me to make sure I get home safe. He texts me in the morning. But when I text back, it takes him hours to respond. And that’s growing old quickly.

There’s none of the depth that initially caught my attention in person. His texts feel surface-level — like he doesn’t know what to say. I can start a conversation, but if a person isn’t reciprocating or engaging, then it’s going to die fast. I won’t exert more of my energy to make up for anyone else’s lack of effort.

The texts are flirty, which I liked at first. Something cute like “hey you,” which earned him some points — but now it’s getting repetitive. The conversations aren’t going anywhere, and I’m starting to lose interest.

He’s playful, I’ve noticed. Yesterday I ordered food and he was the one making it. When I came to pick it up, he was acting like I was too slow to get it — which I know is childlike and might seem lame to some, but to me, it was cute. If I’m interested in the person.

I also had a moment of déjà vu the first time he texted me. That initially sparked even more curiosity.

There’s a book I read once — Many Lives, Many Masters by Brian L. Weiss — that explains a theory about déjà vu I found fascinating. A little backstory on the book, A psychiatrist had a patient who suffered from severe anxiety and depression. When none of the usual treatments worked, he turned to hypnotherapy.

Under hypnosis, the woman began to speak as though she had lived dozens of lives before — 87, to be exact. In each life, this same psychiatrist was present in a different form, always playing the role of a teacher or guide. She claimed they were bound by something beyond this life — that their souls had crossed paths many times before.

She described purgatory not as a place of punishment, but as a pause — a waiting room between lives where souls choose the moments they want to carry forward. Moments that might help them find their destiny again if they were cut short the last time. That sense of déjà vu, she said, came from remembering one of those chosen moments.

Even if you don’t take the story literally, it opens your mind to the idea that maybe… just maybe… some people walk into our lives not for the first time — but for another try.

That’s what I felt when he texted me. A strange familiarity. A flicker of memory without a source. It made me wonder: Are our essences tied to something deeper? Is he part of my story in a way I can’t yet see?

But… if he’s not putting in the effort, then I guess I’ve got my answer about his role in my life.

Maybe he’s nervous.

Maybe he’s intimidated.

But here’s what I know for sure:

I will not stop my journey to wait and look back for someone who is unsure and afraid.