Okay, say years ago you fell in love with someone. You dated this person for a while, but somewhere things went wrong, and you split up. Mind you, you never stopped loving this person really. They were what you considered your one true love in the entire world. Kismet, as it were.
Now, imagine that after you had been separated for several years, and have been in several relationships since then, yet you still find that you love the other person, even though you're with someone and have very strong feelings for them.
Then, one day out of the blue, either you or the other person just happen to make contact via the internet, and you find that the other person has the same feelings as you, and are in the same situation (family, career, life in general). Separated by a thousand miles or more, you begin to talk to this person again, and find that those ancient feelings are just as strong as they ever were.

What would you do?

he would have to die.

sounds like you might want to make another go at a relationship.

Who? The person you love?

I would remember that people always want what they can't have; you know, the grass is greener....

Someone once compared exes to soured milk. You take the milk out of the fridge, smell it, and think, "Ew, that's gone bad" and put it back in the fridge. Getting back together with an ex is like taking out the milk again to see if it's any better this time.

wow... that's a scary, gross analogy.

oh yeah! i wouldn't take that shit lying down.

Yeah. I wouldn't date anyone that smelled like rancid milk.

i pour sour milk in the toilet.

Soured milk isn't that gross unless you drink it.

I don't know what I would do if I thought that person was the love of my life. Whatever I'd do, I'd take it very slowly though.

Yeah. This must be handled with kit gloves...

What would I do? I guess I would probably just try and make the best decision I could with what I think/feel.

If I was with someone I loved and we had a kid and a family etc I wouldnt break that up for some old flame. Thats just retarded. But if I was just dating some girl I sorta loved and an old flame who I really liked showed up I might give it a go.

Ask yourself, did all your other relationships fail because you kept comparing them to the old flame? Do you stand to lose anything important by pursuing? Is the juice is worth the squeeze? Assess the situation, look at both sides of the coin, why did you fail in the first place, would/could that happen again? Remember the grass isn't usually greener on the other side... now which side of the fence are you on, that I don't know.

Having not yet read the other posts on this thread "YET"

I would be very carefull from the start.
Yes, you may have old feeling.
Yes, both of you might feel the same.
Yes, you share a common past.

BUT! here it is.....

BUT.....

There may be hidden reasons, on both sides, for this attraction that have nothing to do with the compatability of either one of you..

My suggestion, and it is just that, a suggestion, is that you try to be just a friend for a period of time. The addition of you two being seperatedby a "long" distance only makes this more of a 'should be' thing..

NOW, having read the other posts....

Billy has a very valid point...
And...

By the gods,i hate typing this statement.
So does Legolas.

If it were a mutual breakup, I'd perhaps play some consideration.
However, as there is no such thing as a mutual breakup, one of you is going to be empowered with thoughts of grandeur. The other is going to be seen as the thing that came crawling back.
It tilts the see-saw too much. I'd err with caution with this one.

If you sold a car years ago cause it gave you the shits, then years later you found it in a used car-lot, would you really buy it again? I know I wouldn't. Sure you know where the faults are, but who knows what fucked up reject has been driving it since you? Thus more faults than to begin with.

I'll take that as a huge complement.

Well, this thread has given me much to ponder. I thank you all for your perspectives.

And here I was thinking this was hypothetical

pondering is a hypothetical situation...