Love in Friendships.

Anywhere love is mentioned, the first thought that comes to mind is love between romantic partners, especially the boyfriend/girlfriend kind of love. While discussing the characteristics of love, people are quick to measure the love they are receiving in their romantic relationships or marriage if it is up to the "standards".

"Marrying Your Friend"

The perception of love has been so perverted that we barely know what to demand as love in our friendships. It is easier to define love in our romantic relationships, not in our friendships. We talk of love languages, and which one of them specifically speaks to us, but we rarely speak of loving our friends in their love languages.

As a result, it is difficult for two people of the opposite sex to be friends and love each other genuinely without bringing in emotions and feelings. This created a perception of "getting married to your friend/best friend" without considering whether the best friend or friend is the person God wants you to end up with.

Expressing Love in Friendships

Being friends with someone does not take away the fact that they deserve to be loved. You do not have to wait till marriage or a new relationship to learning to love someone right. How you treat, love, and communicate with your friends points to how smooth, rough, lonely, or love-starved your romantic relationship or marriage will be.

Learn how to effectively communicate. Healthy communications go a long way to building and strengthening friendships. Communicate when they offend you, communicate when they make you happy or do something you love. Get rid of the assumptions that you should not have issues with your friends. How you handle the issues, both big and small determines how strong your friendship is.

Communicate when you notice an area of your friendship you want to work on. Healthily express yourself. Don't wait until there is a build-up of anger, hurt, bitterness, and resentment. It will only lead to outbursts of emotions and throwing words you will regret sooner.

Be sincere, and transparent. Don't start the game of hiding things from your friends, especially with the friends you have established a deep connection with. Trust is also needed in friendships. Trust your friend enough to be sincere and transparent with them, and your friends should not be destructive critics or judgemental.

Humans seek closure from other people for the need to feel seen and heard. It is your duty as a friend to make your friends feel seen and heard. Demand reciprocated energy too. Don't just give and expect nothing in return.

Relationships or marriage aren't the only places to express love for people or someone else. Learn to love your friends. Yearn for healthy friendships and don't settle for less. Loving people includes celebrating their wins. Celebrate the wins of your friends like they are yours, give no room for jealousy, strife, and envy.

As you seek healthy friendships, work on yourself so you don't end up being the toxic one in the friendship. Add values to your life, values that you can impact on your friends. Be ready and willing to grow in the friendship, don't be the stagnant one to draw people back.