Choosing Love Or Friendship - Which Is More Important

Human beings are social animals and our emotions undoubtedly play a huge role in directing us. We have the capacity to feel and to make decisions based on our emotional understanding. Of all the human emotions; love and empathy form the keystone. We associate ourselves with the people around us on the basis of the way they make us feel. Whether they instill a spirit of joy and calm or simply make us anxious. With all of these emotions, it is bound to bias and have preferences in the people you’d want to spend time with. This is why we have acquaintances, frenemies, friends and our significant other or love interest.

When you choose to love someone, you give them your heart and soul because of the way they make you feel. Giving you chills with one touch, making you feel butterflies in the pit of your stomach with one glance and sending you into a rosy blush with simply a smile. Love is beautiful, to say the least, and nobody can disagree with this.

Friendship, on the other hand, is simple. It doesn’t give you hot flushes and wouldn’t send you into a myriad of “feelings”. When friendship comes naturally- you feel yourself at ease and not rushed by the tornado of emotions. Friendship is effortless and not tainted with being over-possessive or jealous of others association. If you’re lucky enough to find good friends who have pure intentions towards you- you’ll feel yourself much more relaxed than usual. Friendship has a special place in all of our hearts and it is one such relationship where we rush to them for brutally honest advice and a shoulder to cry on after a heartbreak.

When choosing between love and friendship, our hearts and souls can feel split and we are most likely to have a dilemma at our hands. Love has a special place in everyone’s heart but the stakes are high with it. Friendship should form the basis of all interactions and love should follow… It cannot be possibly over-stated how much having a love partner that is also a good friend means that it is one of the most beautiful feelings one can experience because it is pure and simply buds from mutual respect and understanding. Choosing friendship is simply choosing ease, comfort, and understanding over a rush of hormones. Friends have seen you in your best and your worst, unlike a love interest, who we wish to impress and thus, put our best foot forward at all times. The choice here cannot a factual one. A person cannot always choose a friend or a lover! It depends on the circumstances. Why one has to choose? Which one is a bond of a lifetime? Etc.

Love is intense and filled with bright red passion. It is fiery and will make you gasp for air in the absence of it. The emotion is as wild and raw as it gets and this can both be a good and a bad thing. It can add the spicy flavor in your life if you’ve been lacking one and can make you excited in no time. Friendship is somewhat laid back and not rushed. Friendship will not give you the boost of oxytocin but will definitely fill your heart with warmth!

As beautiful as friendship is; it is relatively replaceable. You can have a bunch of good friends but it is almost impossible to love anybody the same as your true love. A mother’s love, a father’s love, and care and a significant other’s love are all special and rare. They have no replacement. A lost or broken friendship won't ruin you like the loss of a loved one would.

Love can exploit you in many ways because love is so rare and special. Friendship never demands all of your time or all of your concerns and efforts. You are more likely to experience burnout in a relationship than in friendship.

Jealousy comes naturally with love. You feel so attached to the person that you cannot stand them spending time with somebody else whereas friendship is shared between many people and jealousy is nowhere in sight.

Both are positive emotions and will bring happiness in your life. Hold onto both for a wonderful and fulfilling life.

Bad times come to everybody. Having a friendship or lover to fall back on can be comforting and is a protective mechanism for your mental health. So stick to your near and dear ones during all bad times to steer clear of all that is bothering you.

Truth and trust form the basis of both and should be kept as such. Your lover knows you more than many people and so do your friends. There is a sense of safety and security that both this relationship have which is why you’re not afraid to be open and yourself around them.

In life, relationships and social interactions are important and you cannot flourish without having their positive influence. Knowing what is the right choice for you between friendship and love can be challenging. What you have to realize is that both have their special place and both are irreplaceable in their own manner. You can know if you’re making the right choice by simply asking your heart and diving deep into your own soul. If you believe that your choice has brought you peace and has shifted your overall attitude and personality towards a positive side, then you’ve made the right choice. Love is more passionate but also has the capacity to turn very toxic very soon. There can be jealousy, lust, and possessiveness that might leave a bitter aftertaste. Friendship is more accommodating and may provide more chances for you to grow into a better person. The decision obviously lies with you only and there is no one who can make it for you. Whatever you decide, always keep your mental health in mind because after all, it is your peace of mind that matters the most.

1. “Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength while loving someone deeply gives you courage.”

– Lao Tzu

2. “There is always some madness in love. But there is also always some reason in madness.”

– Friedrich Nietzsche

3. “The greatest happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved; loved for ourselves, or rather, loved in spite of ourselves.”

– Victor Hugo

4. “The most desired gift of love is not diamonds or roses or chocolate. It is focused attention.”

– Richard Warren

5. “The best and most beautiful things in this world cannot be seen or even heard, but must be felt with the heart.”

– Helen Keller

6. “True friendship comes when the silence between two people is comfortable.”

– David Tyson

7. “Growing apart doesn’t change the fact that for a long time we grew side by side; our roots will always be tangled. I’m glad for that.”

– Ally Condie

8. “Find a group of people who challenge and inspire you; spend a lot of time with them, and it will change your life.”

– Amy Poehler

9. “Anybody can sympathize with the sufferings of a friend, but it requires a very fine nature to sympathize with a friend's success.”

– Oscar Wilde

10. “A friend is someone who gives you total freedom to be yourself.”

Love or friendship… which is more important? This can be a gruesome question. A test of all your mental faculties because you find yourself lost in this fierce dilemma. As a person, this question can keep you up at nights and leave you wondering for all. Always keep in mind that the strongest love buds from unconditional support and understanding that originated from friendship. Similarly, no friendship can flourish without feelings of mutual love. Both emotions and relationships should be true to you. One bad decision can actually make your life very toxic you should know when to let go. So whatever you decide, always follow your heart and do what feels most natural and best to you. If there’s something that loves and friendship both teach us, it’s to be fearless in giving and pouring our heart out. So care for the ones you love and be thoughtful if you ever find yourself in a position to make a choice.