Cheers to Platonic Relationships!

“Earghhhh.. Why, just why, can’t men be ONLY friends???” This cry of anguish greeted me as I approached my friend and as I looked at the source of the cry I realised that this was a serious cry for help!! Upon asking the reason for this outbreak the answer I received was vaguely familiar – why is it that when we women meet and hang out with a guy as a friend, he immediately assumes that he is getting a girlfriend or worse still – a wife!!

This makes me think, are there or can there ever be platonic relationships between a man and a woman? From the experiences that I hear I think men don’t know when friendship ends and when “I like you more than a friend.” starts.. Is it that we as women know how to differentiate between our feelings or is it that when we get into a relationship whether a friendship or a courtship we know when to draw the line? Do men see beyond a woman’s compassion, her smile, her laughter? Why can’t they accept us women as part of their group, their friend circle? Is it because if they didn’t go beyond friendship their friends would make fun of them?

On the flipside, why can’t women take men as friends also? I also know of girls who literally “throw” themselves onto men with the intention of making them their boyfriends or husbands. Even if men want to just hang out with the girl because he actually liked her company, her sense of humour, her dressing sense, why do women see and want beyond that?? Why do women think that men are after getting them into bed with them and nothing else?

Is the concept of platonic relationships alien to us or is it that we deep down inside want more always? Or is it just a case of miscommunication? Is it that we are misunderstood somewhere down the line and things take a turn for the worse (or better)? I feel that communication is important whether we want to continue as friends or as lovers in the relationship and this communication needs to be made straightforward and in simple English so that we don’t come to a stage when we have to say “Why, oh why!!” Platonic relationships are the ones that stand the test of time and they are the ones to which we turn to in times of trouble or in times of happiness and sadness, in laughter or in tears – so here’s to Platonic Relationships! Cheers!!