A key component that benefits us as a couple and in life is friendship. We often hear women and men say, “I want to marry my best friend”, “I am looking for my partner in crime”, “I am hoping to meet and marry my soulmate”. These are just a few sayings that allude to a two-part partnership in a relationship. The first part is the trustworthy loving partner who we fall in love with and feel the invincibility of an unbroken unit. We feel such a connection that words to describe it escapes us at times. We secretly wish to carry the others’ scent upon departing. We love having them place a smile on our faces so we can run rigorously with our thoughts when they are not around. The second component is being a friend, which requires us to compart- mentalize the first part to see with clear vision, have strength, both physically and emotionally, and then have the courage to embrace our partner without judgment on any level when needed. This requires us to place our selfish needs and emotions away. This will allow us to place our partner first, without any thoughts of future repercussions no matter the outcome. Both components are equally important if love is to last a lifetime.
The question if we can be friends with the opposite sex is debatable with many factors involved depending on who you ask and their personal experience. The purpose of this chap- ter is to ignite a personal conversion among family, friends, children, and especially with our- selves. Asking, do I understand the components or have the will to be a friend to someone of the opposite sex?
Download and read full article