Girls could you ever see this guy the same way?

Going to play devils advocate here but for good reason.
I've been in a similar position, albeit a very long time ago now.

I can see what you're saying about this being a meaningful friendship, especially after such a long time, but can you really just turn off your feelings for her?
Personally I doubt it...

Can you be around this girl often, as only a friend, without being eaten up inside when you see her date someone else, without feeling personally wronged when someone breaks her heart?

To me the question is, is this friendship important enough that you're willing to die inside a little to continue it, knowing it will never become more?
Very dramatic wording I know but anyone who's been there can probably relate.

If you can turn off your feelings or you are willing to suffer for this girls friendship then more power to you...

One of the first posts I responded to was similar to this. I responded that it's almost impossible for guys and gals to have and maintain a close friendship over time, as love almost always rears it's ugly head. You would have thought I was advocating the wholesale slaughter of cute little puppies.
But here it is a year and some months later and this is almost word for word the same post, and there have been hundreds of others in the interim.
So, I will say it again, at the risk of once again being castigated by one and all; guys and gals can rarely if ever maintain an extremely close friendship without one or the other falling in love. Isn't that actually a normal thing? Wouldn't you want your romantic involvement to be with your best friend?
OP, you've been given good advice above. I would only add that I hope you have learned from this situation, and won't make the same mistakes again. Perhaps you can rekindle this friendship when you are both married, but until then, I believe things will not be terribly comfortable for either of you.

As long as you completely drop your feelings for her, and don't make it awkward yourself, there should be no difference in the friendship. Just talk to her like you always had.

Have a similar situation to yours.

I still think of him as a great guy and it didn't affect our friendship at all.

I know this is very pessimistic of me and I hate going this route and I don't know either of you at all, but my concern is that she LIKES you in this role. You love her, she knows it, you'll have her back on her back-burner while she eats all the cake.

Rookie mistake pal. You have been in the friend zone for 7 years and you decide to tell her you have romantic feelings for her, what the fuck?

I wonder how dark a secret can be? I always hear people talking about dark secrets/

awww I'm so sorry.. this kinda broke my heart. I'd say just be up front with her and let her know that you care about her on a deep level and it's so much more than superficial and THAT is why, but first and foremost you care about her for her, and if you only remain friends that's just fine, but that you just don't wanna lose her friendship that is the most meaningful you've ever had. THAT would be the true tragedy!

i'd be ok with hanging out but i probably will avoid as much physical contact as possible, stop having deeper conversations with you, and avoid doing anything that would possibly make me look attractive in any way (such as bending down and my butt in full show). but that is all with the idea that i also want to keep the friendship. and this also depends on the girl... some girls are completely fine with it and will joke around about it later, some will wish it never happened and try to steadily make things go back to how they were. i advise you to never mention it again while the whole situation is still raw in your minds. i suggest you also do like the later example and just avoid any "sticky situations" and anything physical, or just you two being alone. If she hasn't talked about it though then she might still be thinking about what you said while trying to make things back to normal between you too. Honestly, I doubt she even expected that after you two being so close you would find anything attractive about her. You could very well have been bro-zoned, and the thought of being together could have made her feel gross, as if some sort of pseudo-insestual thing would happen. Or she could have had slight feelings of deeper affection for you too, and now that you were surprisingly the first one to admit it, she doesn't know how to react. You might just wanna tough it out and ask her how she feels if it's already been a whole week. But make sure your timing is appropriate, so not while you two are eating a dinner or something, because that could end pretty nasty. Just be casual man, casual. And don't cry about it if she says no. At least not until you get home. If she says no, ok then, just continue your day doing whatever you guys do when you hang out. yes? then good 4 u man. GOODLUCK!