“What I’m saying is – and this is not a come-on in any way, shape or form – is that men and women can’t be friends because the sex part always gets in the way.”
…Harry Burns in When Harry Met Sally

It can be agreed that men are from Mars and women from Venus, also that there is friction between the two and that sexual tension and romantic feelings are bound to creep-in between, but can’t the two ever be “just friends”? The concept of platonic friendship that arose and was largely talked and written from the time of Greek Philosopher Plato still remains as unclear and confusing as ever.

From Adam and Eve down to the present generation, opposite sexes are always “meant” to draw each other, love, fight, produce babies and that’s about it. Or is it? The notion that the two cannot be plain friends seems to be changing, but the question is to what extent?

With women becoming more career oriented and independent, “cross-sex” social and workplace friendships are definitely on the rise. Even the school time or college friendships are known to become stronger with passing time (that is if they don’t blossom into love). When in a group, men and women mix with one another freely, hang-out, share jokes and get along just fine, but when it comes to one-on-one friendship, it surely does get a wee bit tricky. After all there is but a thin line between friendship and love.

Moreover people from both sexes feel that they can share their thoughts better with members from the opposite sex. For example men cannot confide about their household pressures and tensions to their male colleagues because they might pass taunts at him for being of a complaining nature and being unsuccessful in relationships, but if you have a gal as a true friend then you can share your thoughts safely with her without any apprehensions of facing insult. Moreover that friend of yours can also give you some really helpful suggestions that may actually help to mend your lifestyle and social relationships and family tensions.

The same is also applicable for women also. Friendship with fun-loving guys can bring in a whiff of fresh air in their mundane lives. Guys being more straightforward and less prone to bouts of emotion and crying may actually help the girls in overcoming the grief of a break-up. The girls can also confide their greatest secrets to a guy without any fear of any outside people knowing it. Cracking jokes and poking fun at each other also helps in exploring newer avenues.

Specially in today’s age where time fleas past, it is not always necessary that you can only love or be physically involved with a person of the opposite sex.Your regular interactions with members of the opposite sex can result in some very fruitful and long-lasting friendships.But there is a very fine line between love and friendship and one must be fully conscious if and when one attempts to cross that fine line.