Why Can't We Be Friends?

Friends - (noun) A person whom one knows and with whom one has a bond of mutual affection, typically exclusive of sexual or family relations.

Simple, right?!  According to women, yes.  According to men, not so simple.  Can men and women really just be FRIENDS or is "What If" always lurking over your shoulder?

Some of my greatest friends have been male.  They give the most genuine advice, keep my secrets, send the sweetest "Good Morning" texts, give the best hugs, and seem to be available whenever I need them.  Is this because somewhere in their brains, they think our friendship will lead to more?  Sources say.................

BINGO!!  

Most women will answer this question quickly without the possibility of sexual attraction.  But this answer is most commonly concluded one-sided after digging deeper, they realize there is always the possibility that their male friends are sexually attracted to them and would act on that attraction if given the opportunity.  This doesn't mean they won't sit around patting your head and calling you "buddy" while secretly hoping that one day they'll get their shot at a more intimately involved relationship.  

Research done by The University of Wisconsin, where more than 400 heterosexual adults between 18 and 52 participated, reports males to be more attracted to their female friend than females attracted to their male friend regardless of relationship status.  Their findings implicated attraction between friends more common than not, concluding that men and women rarely have platonic relationships.

So is there a way to continue your greatest friendship just the way it is without having to worry about warding off an attraction from your best bud?  According to eHow, there are 5 simple steps to achieve this lasting platonic relationship.

Step 1:  Avoid stepping over any sexual boundaries.

Step 2:  Don't let others ruin it by implying your friendship is more than it seems.

Step 3:  Don't treat him like your girlfriends and don't treat her like your guy friends.
Step 4:  Maintain high opinions of each other.
Step 5:  Appreciate what you have and respect it.

Keeping a platonic friendship can be done but it goes without saying that it can always move into something less platonic.  I like to reference "FRIENDS" when thinking of platonic friendships, but the only people who never wanted each other were Ross and Monica.......and technically, Ross was Monica's first kiss. (The One Where The Stripper Cries)  So I guess, no matter what you are in someone's life, you can always be more.