I have a friendship of a few years with someone whom I am considering cutting ties with. We get along excellently, make each other laugh, have similar interests - all the ingredients for a good friendship, but there is a catch: We have repressed romantic feelings for each other that have leaked out every now and then, and we are unable to address them openly and honestly for numerous reasons.

At this time we are unable to be together. I wrestled with keeping the friendship anyway, for its own sake - advice given me by other people I know - but over and over again I find myself unsure of what I really want. I want to make a decision that makes me happy in the long term, so I consulted the Yi, and got 46.5 > 48.

I've been doing some research, but I'd love it if others shared their opinions on how these hexagrams relate to my situation.

Hi LittleMissSunshine!

My most memorable 46.5 was for whether I should go meet some friends at a roofdeck bar or stay put at the café I was sitting in. I was very hesitant to go because my former crush was going to be at the bar, and I didn't want any awkwardness. The website I used to cast paraphrased "one pushes upward by steps" to "climb these steps to good fortune". I trusted the reading and went -- climbed 2 flights of a spiral staircase -- and had an awesome time with old college friends. No awkwardness and no attraction to my former crush at all.

Do you think this could apply to your case too? I Ching aside, keeping a friend is often more important than seizing a romantic opportunity, but it could take time and effort for things to normalize. I also interpret climbing up as, elevating mood or self-esteem so I can better deal with what's coming =)