34.FRIEND OR BOYFRIEND???
(Advice)
Hi There,
I was wanting to know what is the difference between loving someone as a friend and having them as a boyfriend? Is it a question of different relationship boundaries? Could it be that loving your boyfriend is really meant to be exclusive whereas loving someone as a friend is not exclusive?
-Confused
Dear Confused,
A friend is usually someone who you do not pursue a romantic relationship with. Some people have friends that they occasionally fool around with. These "friends with benefits" usually do not qualify as boyfriends unless you are dating, let other people know about it, and/or are exclusive. Some people have boyfriends in an open relationship, as well. The English language can be quite tricky, indeed.
It all boils down to this...The terms "friend" and "boyfriend" are not mutually exclusive. Ideally, the communication between boys/friends should be clear about whether or not you are seeing each other exclusively. The most important thing is that you both understand what you are to each other.
-Dr. Love
