For the most part, many people feel that it is not possible to have a platonic friendship with some one of the opposite gender. This belief can come from our significant others or from those who have built what they thought was just a friendship and then it progressed into something more. However, there are believers, who feel it is possible and have experienced such friendships. Sometimes they turn out to be the best friendships of all.
When we build strong friendships, we love that person. At times, the love is mistaken for attraction. When this happens, a discussion needs to take place between the two of you. If not, one may make the wrong move and you may loose that friendship forever, if the other does not feel the same way.
If you take the approach of discussing this issue, you may find out that you have misread some signals, or may realize you just had those feelings during a weak moment. Whatever the reason, the two of you will need to decide if you can continue to keep the platonic friendship, you have established.
The best way to avoid this all together, is when establishing a friendship with someone of the opposite gender, it might be wise to set some boundaries. Define it as a friendship from the very beginning and make sure both parties understand that it will be nothing more than a platonic relationship. As we all know, communication is important in any relationship, whether it be with our significant other, a family member or a friend.
If one or both of you have significant others, to prevent any jealousy that may put a strain on the relationships, it would be best to include them on some of your outings or get-togethers. Let them see you are just friends and that you are willing to include them. It also might be wise to limit your time together to daytime activities rather than nighttime.
The most important thing to remember, friendships are what we make them. If there is, trust and communication the friendship can last a lifetime, regardless of cross-gender or not.
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