So I've been watching a lot of psychology videos on the science of love (it's the video I added here) and the science of happiness because I'm a nerd and I'm going through a "friendship pause" with someone because we got in way over our heads.
I really really really loved this one video and it just spoke to me because it was saying that each friendship you have is a connection of two people that are filling the needs of the other person.
So the more you know what the other person needs from you, and the more communication you have with that person for what you need, the smoother a friendship will be able to go.
And each friendship gives you something different. Which I think is just beautiful.
So, how to stay friends with someone of the opposite sex?
In my totally unprofessional opinion:
1. Be honest of what your expectations are and what you want to know to give the other person.
2. Do not suppress your attraction to a person to the point where it blows up in your faces later. Be able to acknowledge it like the sentient human you are.
3. HOWEVER... Have the self-control and deep respect for a person to realize that the benefits of keeping that friendship is more important than potentially going past the point of no return.
Take all of this information for what you will. But this has restored my faith in friendships and given me the ideas to work on any of my friendships.
