Is love such an easy game to play?

A good friend of mine has had a long distance relationship with a woman. At first, it was just for fun, really. He liked the woman and she liked him. She made it clear she wouldn’t be exclusive. She had other boyfriends, and he was willing to accept that.

Then his feelings grew stronger and stronger. She said she loved him more, too, but couldn’t make the time or couldn’t get away to see him more than once ever three or four months. They would talk every day on the phone and chat in the evenings and it seemed like they were growing closer and closer.

Eventually, he couldn’t stand it any more and he told her he wanted to marry her. She said she couldn’t leave her life. He kept asking for a while, and one day he blew up. He realized she would never change her life no matter how much she loved him.

He decided that would be too painful for him, so he tried to end it. She keeps saying she loves him, and he believes that, but it isn’t enough. It is too painful for him to live without her, and since he can’t have her, he has to learn to live without her instead of torturing himself with a love he cannot have.

Do you think he made the right choice? Do you think he will be able to just cut it off? Or will he crawl back to her, tail between legs? If he does go back to her, could she ever feel the same about him or will she disrespect him forever?