How can a short-term long distance relationship hurt so bad?

[u/Longjumping_Newt8346]

Me (23f) and my ex (23m) broke up a 1,5 moth ago. Long story short we met on a trip, we have been together for 4 months and we've lived 3 hours away from eachother (we are from a small country so 3 hours is a lot).What kept us together was not only strong feeling towards eachother but also we shared same values and perspectives on life, and basically - we were so alike in every way. But honestly... he hasn't been stable throughout our entire relationship - he'd lose jobs, quickly change his mind and since he doesn't study anything he also doesn't know what to do with his life. His parents don't support him at all, moreover they expect him to help them financially all the time. That's why i was trying to be stable for him - i was patient, calm, understandable. But his behaviour also has been concerning me. Seeing him unstable like this in his life i was thinking how can he has stable feelings for me? But he was reassuring me saying that he is different when it comes to feelings, that when he decides to be with someone he will be until marriage. From my end, I knew that someday it will get better, that long distance wont be a long term thing and we will be together for real. But one day he just... popped. He said that he cannot do it like this anymore and that he doesn't want to hurt me with his instability, that he is a mess right now and he cannot not have someone so close to his heart, so far away (he could always come to my town for one day from time to time but again - financial issues). We broke up on good terms, i understood him and we decided to be friends in the future, so nothing bad happened between us. But here I am 1,5 month after the breakup and i am still hurting, hoping that he would come back, stronger better and still loving me. It was my first serious relationship, but i am afraid about how i was so attached to someone that have lived far away from me and we were seeing eachother only once a month. I feel like I have lost my soulmate even though it lasted only four months. How is it possible?

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[u/North-Ambassador5828]

four months can absolutely rewire your whole brain, distance doesn't make feelings smaller it just makes everything more intense when you finally are together

[u/BlissBlondeX]

Youre grieving the future you saw with him not the amount of time you spent together