I have heard more than once than men and women cannot be truly just be friends. Some people believe that one person in the friendship will end up catching feelings for the other. Platonic friendships can happen either organically or by default. Organically a man and woman met and there's no physical attraction. When I say by default, I mean that one wanted a relationship and the other didn't. Either way, they end up in the friend zone.
I'm on the fence about the subject. I have platonic male friends. We are just friends. I don't see them in any other way than that. I'm almost 100% sure that the feeling is mutual. These two guys are more than my friends, they are my family. We are always there for each other. They have my back and vice versa. I know I wouldn't even entertain the notion of going down that road with either of them, even if I wasn't in love. The friendship I share with them means too much to me. Our friendship is the epitome of platonic. I believe that we are a great example of a platonic friendship working out. I mean, I we are into a 22 year friendship. It must be working.
I have seen friends cross that line. It has never worked out in the end. A small attraction could kill a great friendship. I don't think it's worth it. Great friends are hard to come by. Why would one want to sacrifice it for something fleeting or purely physical? That makes no sense to me. I value my friends too much. I would hate for them to the think of me negatively or as a former friend. Boundaries are set early. Platonic friendships should always adhere to them.
Platonic friendships benefit both parties involved. Both get the opposite sex's opinión on life and love. That alone is invaluable. I believe that men and women need platonic friendships. We need the balance. I sometimes seek out the advice of my male friends for a different perspective. It's helped me so much in life. I would actually be kind of lost without it. So, what do you guys think? Can men and women just be friends? Or is platonic friendships an oxymoron to you? Let's discuss.
Friendships are a wonderful gift for the people involved. Through life, friendships change. Some evolve, some fade away, others become more like family. True friends will stay the course. These are the people who will always be along for the ride no matter what. These are the ones you cherish.
I have friends that have been here for at least 20+ years. They are my family. I love them for many varied reasons. I love them because they are always 100 with me about everything. There is no sugarcoating going on here. We could not speak for weeks on end. But one phone call and we are all caught up. There is never any weirdness between us. The conversation just flows. We know each other so well. We laugh the same way we always did. We discuss everything. This to me is the epitome of a real, authentic friendship.
I know that I'm blessed to have my friends in my life. I am so thankful for them. They have been there to lend me plenty of sympathetic ears, a million shoulders to cry on, and more hugs than I could count. There aren't enough words for me to express how much they mean to me. How much those random check up calls make my heart smile. Friends are angels that God places in our lives. We have to be sure to recognize the real ones.
I'm very nostalgic today. My friend Lashauna R. Turner is heavy on my mind and heart. I remember the day we met. It was the first week of 6th grade. I noticed her because she was the only other Black girl in all of my Honors classes. She sat in the desk next to me one day. She said "I'm Lashauna, you seem cool. We should be friends." And, we were for the next 14 years. We became fast friends. I integrated her into my group of friends. We (me, Ty, Reese, and Shauna) were all connected at the hip by 8th grade. She was funny, intelligent and very caring. She was one of the best people I knew.
We were devastated by her untimely death. She had a collapsed lung in August. Was diagnosed with a rare form of heart cancer in October. And before we knew it, she was gone on March 16, 2004. My friends and I were in disbelief. Everything happened within the blink of the eye. She was gone and we were left here with so many unanswered questions. I still miss our talks. I often wish she was still here. Today is harder than others because it's Shauna's birthday. I try to celebrate her life instead of mourning it. She would've been 32. Shauna was taken from us entirely too soon. We never got to say goodbye. I know she's watching over us. So, I'll just say Happy Birthday Copper/Butterfinger :) We love you and we still miss you, girl.
***HAPPY 32ND BIRTHDAY, LASHAUNA R. TURNER***
