Crushes can be really painful and difficult to handle. The person experiencing the feelings often struggles with uncertainty and longing, which can make the experience quite intense. The quote reflects on the emotional toll that having a crush can take on someone who is in the position of loving from a distance.
The author suggests that being the one with the crush might be worse than the one who is being admired. In this case, watching Josh from afar for three years highlights the feelings of unreciprocated love and the emotional strain of hoping for something that may never happen. Overall, crushes can be a complex mix of hope, longing, and heartache.