Karen Fratti is a news editor for PEOPLE. She has been writing about entertainment, human interest and breaking news for over a decade.

A woman's love life took an unexpected turn, but now she says she's scared of getting hurt.

The 55-year-old woman wrote on the U.K.-based forum Mumsnet that she recently reconnected with an ex, named Mark, after 36 years. The pair dated when they were 17 years old and later became engaged.

"We had a great connection, it was mutually respectful and the physical relationship was great," she wrote of herself and Mark, then explaining that life happened.

"I'd lost my dad shortly before we met, I didn't get on with my mom, so I left home and lived in [college] while studying. Mark was in the forces, and after a year and a half of being stationed near me, [he] was posted to Central America," the woman continued. "I felt so lost when he went. I had friends, but missed him so much. We were engaged. I think with the loss of my dad, I just couldn't bear being so sad about Mark being away."

Her friends encouraged her to be single while Mark was away, and the woman explained that she decided to end their relationship by writing him a letter. But then, "a couple of months later," she and Mark "bumped into each other."

"It was very poignant. We hugged, he gave me a kiss on the cheek, and we wished each other future happiness," the woman wrote.

"Fast forward 36 years," the woman said that Mark appeared in the "People You May Know" section of her Facebook and she "sent a brief message as a blast from the past."

However, she said she "panicked and blocked him," but "a week or so later, I unblocked him, and we started talking."

Four months later, the woman went on to explain that she and Mark "text several times each day, and have phone calls and FaceTime several times a week." She added that they do both have feelings for each other but haven't gone as far as to say "I love you" or "anything like that."

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Now, the woman said she and Mark made arrangements to meet in person. Her past love, she detailed, lives "elsewhere in Europe" and is flying to where she lives specifically to meet her at a café to catch up.

"I'm absolutely terrified. I don't know how I'll feel when I see him in person, or how he will feel," the woman wrote, concluding, "I feel like this meeting will be make or break. After 4 relationships since then, all abusive or not fulfilling, I don't trust men. I do trust Mark to an extent. Our younger years relationship was a very positive experience. Guess I'm terrified of getting hurt."

In the comments section, many Mumsnet users shared positive messages and encouraged the woman ahead of the meeting.

"I reconnected with someone I used to go out with. We hadn't seen each other for over 30 years, but were Facebook friends for a good few years. We have been together for nearly 3 years and [are] getting married soon, so you never know, it could work out," one person wrote.

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Others advised the woman to take some pressure off and to just treat their reunion as meeting an old friend.

"Neither of you are the same teenagers you were back then. You had a romantic connection -- but it was in another life. If anything were to work out between the two of you -- you'll need to get to know the grown up versions of each other," said one user.

"I'm guessing you're both single? If so, what's the worst thing that could happen ... go and have fun," added one other commenter.