Adult friendship today

Adult friendship today

We have many words to describe the relationships among people. Among these words are partner, associate, colleague, acquaintance, family, compatriot, comrade, and friend. Many of these suggest business relationships but can also be ambiguous. Your partner might be a co-owner of your business or your spouse. Others suggest political relationships. Let’s discuss friendship among adults in today’s society.

What behavior do we reasonably expect of a friend? Sympathetic listening, constructive criticism, clear communication, companionship seem necessary. Common interests, mutual pleasure in each other’s company cement a relationship. Is it reasonable to expect a friend to help us move?

How well do friends really know each other? An acquaintance is someone you know superficially. Should we know the family history, the employment history, the educational level, the political leanings, the financial health, perhaps the criminal and health record of our friends? Seems we usually learn these naturally in the course of a developing friendship. We don’t cross examine our potential friends. Can we ever really know another person? How well do we know ourselves? Does our own behavior ever surprise us?

How long do friendships last? People change. Friendships fade. Sometimes friendships end in a burst of anger. Does this make the friendship a failure or a mistake? Is it possible to maintain a deep friendship from a great distance with a little or no face to face contact? Can friendship be restored after a painful fracture?

How hard or easy is it to have friends? Some people seem to make and lose friends readily. Others struggle. Are our social media friends really friends? How do you make (or avoid) friends?

Friendships are usually between people of the same sex. For men these relationships often center around sports or other outdoor activities. Women like to meet with their friends to chat. Can a man and a woman have a deep friendship without physical intimacy?

Friendship can be one of the great pleasures of life. How do you manage your friends?