Partners Come As A Package Deal

Okay, so you meet this wonderful person that you are totally head over heels in love with. You begin developing a strong relationship built on friendship. You want your friendship to be a priority because you know that will give the two of you strength during difficult times.

Friends play a very important role in our lives. We choose our friends because we enjoy having them in our life. They are the people that we turn to when we are down and out. We trust them to be honest and supportive when we need them. But we also know that it takes a friend to keep a friend.

Obviously you and your partner will have friends from earlier times when you meet. And over the course of your relationship you will introduce your mate to your friends and you will meet the friends of your partner. You will most likely find that you like the people your partner considers friends but do not be surprised if one or two seem to be an odd fit.

You may wonder why your partner cares for that person. The good news is that you do not have to love those people that your mate calls friends, in fact, you do not even have to like them. But, and yes there is a but, you will need to accept them.

Keep in mind that your significant other may not be thrilled with all of the people that you have chosen as friends. But also consider how you would feel if you were asked, or worse, you were told, not to be friends with them any longer. Of course you would be upset and rightly so.

Ideally both you and your partner will continue to maintain your individual friendships with others as you build mutual friendships. Being involved in a relationship should not necessitate giving up your friends.

Find ways to integrate your friendships with others into your relationship. Consider things like having both sets of friends over for a party or an outdoor meal. By adding and combining friendships you will have more options available to you as a couple when you want to do things with others.

It is true that some people can be a problem in a relationship. For instance, if you are a very jealous person it may bother you that your partner has friends of the opposite sex. If this is an issue you will need to discuss it openly with your partner. However, it is unfair to expect that the friendship be given up.

But on the other hand, you should not be expected to live with a situation that you are uncomfortable with. The solution is a compromise. Perhaps you are really okay with the friendship in question but not okay with some aspects of how your mate relates to that person. Open and honest discussions can resolve such matters.

Your relationship should come first but neither you nor your mate should ask the other to give up friends. By working together you will be able to finds ways to incorporate outside friendships into your relationship and you will be better off for it.