Oh, by the way...

Dear Reader(s?),

Sometimes life is complicated. I know that is something that most if not all people discover at some point, so I won't elaborate. And because I'm deeply aware that most of my readership is consisted of people that know me too well, I will explain why I'm saying this using vague, shadowy references that may or may not prove to be good reading.

Where is the line? In school I tried really hard not to define friendships and things, but I guess there are other things that need labels? Maybe labels are there for a reason. In school I didn't like to say "she/he is my best friend," because I didn't really want to rank people on a scale of my affection for them (and I guess their affection for me too). And I didn't like to separate between people I only knew and those who I would consider my "friends." I suppose growing up in a small town it was easily accomplished. Everyone I knew I had known since we were all messing our diapers, so it wasn't really a problem to think of them with a kind of familiarity. Even at BYU-Hawaii it's kind of easy to meld friends and acquaintances due the fact that our school is inescapably small. See, but there have also been times, and recently, when lines have blurred even without this distinction.  When you know things aren't that way, is letting your guard down inappropriate? How close can you be without being too close? Can you be too close?
I feel like this is a struggle in Western culture; where people like their personal space. Ugh. I HATE people getting weirded out by other people liking who they are! Like, look. We're all human. We all feel the same things at one time or another. If I happen to want to get to know you better, does it have to mean I'm interested?? [By the way, this isn't originally what I was planning on talking about. Consider this paragraph a tangent and bear with me.] It has even happened to me with girl friends! I mean, geez! I mean when we're both girls are both of us are into guys do you have to act like I'm a weirdo when I try to be your friend? I'm sorry, I'm not trying to make this sound bad. But, come on, surely you've been there. You find a friend that you think is cool. But you act like it... and she acts like you're a freak. I think there's also an inherent mistrust in female relationships that stems from a subconscious recognition of competition and hierarchy. [Tangenting again.] Like how girls treat girls that are prettier than themselves differently. I don't know if putting what I'm convinced we've all felt into words is weird or inappropriate. But, then, that question of itself is evidence to my point.
Anyway, to bring us back on track, I think it's weird to know what the lines are regardless of gender. How close do you get to guy friends without going too far? Not physically, but can you go emotionally too far? And what about gay guy friends? Most girls supermuch let their guard down with their gay friends. Is that too far? And if it isn't, what's the difference between that relationship and one where the guy is straight, but the relationship is just as platonic? Here's a big one: can you have a platonic relationship with a guy that is in a committed romantic relationship? And what is that?? Where is the line? What is too far? And I DON'T mean physically. Just to clear the record. How good of a friend can you be when your guy friend has a girl? I know I've said this, but if I were reading what I just wrote my mind would stray... so don't let it. I don't mean physically!
I believe in human connectivity. We all have a need to feel connected. Maybe it's my blind devotion to this belief that renders me ironically incapable of understanding another point of view, but I think that if that's the goal, whatever it is that you're (or I'm) afraid will happen doesn't matter as much. No one ever regretted loving too much.

"We will never regret the kind words spoken or the affection shown. Rather, our regrets will come if such things are omitted from our relationships with those who mean the most to us." --Thomas S. Monson

Wow this is a long post...