Stances & Statements
FAMILY / RELATIONSHIPS / LIFESTYLE / PERSONAL LIFE
Part 3
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Friendship
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Friendship is one of the most special feelings two people can have together. It makes life so much more enjoyable to share and connect with a friend. It gives me hope for humanity that people can have such a special bond without an incentive other than simply enjoying each other's company. We may not choose the family we are born to, but we do choose our friends.
Acquaintances
We deal with a lot of people in our lives, at work, school, in public, and most of these people are not close friends, or what you would call a friend. As human beings, we have social needs and will often chat and spend time with people who are not friends. There is nothing wrong with that; however, it's good to be aware of how the person you are engaging with thinks and feels about the interactions. A question to ask yourself is, do they want to be friends? An example of a situation that can often occur is one person wants to be more than friends. Don’t lead people on; do your best to make it clear what you're looking for and your expectations, as you cannot be everyone’s best friend, let alone more than friends.
Strangers
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There is a saying that every stranger is a potential friend you haven't met yet, but you could also say that every stranger is a potential serial killer. You need to be cautious with people you don’t know. Take risks getting to know people, as long as you feel safe and in control.
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Discrimination
We don’t accept or encourage any type of discrimination as that is simply ignorant and morally wrong. However, if you feel uncomfortable around a person you don’t know whether it's a gut feeling or not, a quick judgment based on limited information, is not something to feel bad about; it's a survival instinct. It might not be based on a fair judgment, but it's about being safe rather than sorry.