Friendship Palava

Friendship is a voluntary mutual relationship between people who genuinely care about each other, trust each other, respect each other, enjoy each other's company and support each other through different situations in life
True friends share experiences, encouragement and companionship through both good and difficult times

Friendships sometimes experience challenges, yet maintaining good ones remains possible when people listen honestly, address issues directly, respect boundaries, and consistently choose to show up despite misunderstandings or busy schedules

DO YOU THINK IT'S WISE TO HAVE JUST ONE BEST FRIEND LIKE SOMEONE HAS ONE WIFE?

There are some advantages to having only one best friend.
You may share more personal things because you trust that person deeply. That leads to building serious trust and history with that one person and since they know your full context advice isn't surface level

Having one best friend also leaves room for less drama, less scheduling and fewer misunderstandings to manage it's easier than having your emotional energy split five ways.

One best friend who knows you well can understand your strengths, weaknesses, and feelings and Opening up is faster because you don’t retell your backstory because they already know your references, family dynamics, and other things.
Having only one best friend also gives you a reliable support during difficult times, you know exactly who to turn to for advice or encouragement.

On the other hand having only one best friend comes with it's own disadvantages
You may become too emotionally dependent on one person. Also If the friendship experiences conflict or ends, you may suddenly feel isolated.
Having several good friends exposes you to different ideas, experiences, and advice, but with only one best friend, you may end up seeing things from a single perspective. No matter how wise a person is, they do not know everything. Different friends often challenge our thinking and help us grow in ways one person cannot.

Another disadvantage is that jealousy can easily develop. When someone has only one close friend, they may feel threatened when that friend spends time with other people. This can create unnecessary tension and place pressure on the friendship.

For these reasons, I do not think it is wrong to have one best friend. However, I believe it is wiser to have one best friend alongside other good friends. A best friend can hold a special place in your life, but no single person should be expected to meet all your social and emotional needs.

IF YOU HAVE A BEST FRIEND AND YOUR BEST FRIEND HAS ANOTHER FRIEND WHOM HE / SHE SPENDS MOST OF THE TIME WITH, WILL YOU BE JEALOUS AND DISCONTINUE?

If my best friend spends more time with another friend, I might feel jealous. I think jealousy is a normal feeling because nobody likes feeling left out.
But what matters is how we react to the feeling. Some people may become angry, start avoiding their friend, or end the friendship completely. I do not think that is the best approach. Instead, I think it's better to try and understand the situation before jumping to conclusions.

Personally, I would not discontinue the friendship simply because my friend spends more time with someone else. I also have to remember that my friend has the right to have other friends. As long as they still treat me with respect and value our friendship, I would not see it as a reason to end the relationship

SHOULD A MARRIED MAN OR WOMAN END THEIR FRIENDSHIPS WITH PEOPLE OF THE OPPOSITE SEX AFTER MARRIAGE?

I do not believe marriage automatically means a person must end all friendships with people of the opposite sex. Some of those friendships may have existed for many years and may be completely innocent.

However, I believe marriage should change how those friendships are handled.
Trust and respect are important in every marriage. Therefore, opposite-sex friendships should be handled in a way that does not create unnecessary problems or misunderstandings.

In my opinion, a married man or woman can keep friends of the opposite sex, but those friendships should be respectful, transparent, and should never take priority over the marriage relationship.

WILL YOU END A FRIENDSHIP IF YOUR FRIEND KEEPS ON MAKING MISTAKES OR DOING THINGS YOU DON'T LIKE?

I would not end a friendship because of every mistake. Nobody is perfect and we all make mistakes from time to time. Forgiveness is an important part of friendship because there will always be misunderstandings, wrong decisions, and moments when people disappoint each other.

However, I believe there is a difference between occasional mistakes and harmful patterns. An occasional mistake is something a person genuinely regrets and tries not to repeat. A harmful pattern is when the same behavior continues over and over again despite discussions, apologies, and chances to improve.

For example, a friend may forget something important once or say something hurtful in the heat of the moment. I can forgive such mistakes. But if a friend constantly lies, disrespects me, breaks my trust, or shows no effort to change, then the situation becomes more serious.

I would draw the line when the friendship begins to damage my peace of mind or when trust has been broken repeatedly. At that point, I may choose to distance myself. Friendship requires forgiveness, but it also requires effort, respect, and accountability from both people.

WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE TO PEOPLE WITH MANY FRIENDS?

My advice to people with many friends is to focus on the quality of their friendships rather than the number of people they know. Having many friends is not a bad thing, but not everyone in your circle will be a genuine friend. Be loyal, trustworthy, and treat your friends with respect. Avoid gossip and unnecessary comparisons, as constantly comparing one friend to another can create jealousy, resentment, and misunderstandings where none previously existed. It is also important to respect boundaries and understand that every friendship is different. Not every friend will play the same role in your life, and that is perfectly normal.

In conclusion, friendship is one of the most valuable relationships we can have. Like every relationship, it comes with challenges such as misunderstandings, jealousy, and mistakes. However, healthy friendships can survive these challenges when there is trust, respect, forgiveness, and honest communication. While no friendship is perfect, making an effort to understand and support one another can help friendships remain strong and meaningful over time.

I would like to invite @kidi40, @spendi, and @denco001 to participate in this contest. I look forward to reading your thoughts on friendship and the challenges that come with it.