Taking the first step and communicating that you wish to resolve the conflict and offer potential solutions can signal that you value and want to restore the relationship. Remember that friendship maintenance is an act of love and sometimes requires stepping in uncomfortable situations. Not only are we all unique individuals, but time will also move us in different directions. It’s natural to feel frustrated or surprised when you and your friend stand on opposite sides of the spectrum on an issue or belief. Maybe you’ve always had these differences, or maybe one of you is going through a life transition.
The first of the 7 types of friends is the acquaintance. Acquaintances are people you don’t know very well, but that you meet frequently enough that they are more than strangers to you. Maybe they’re a friend-of-a-friend that you meet at parties, or maybe a stranger who goes to the same Wednesday dance class that you do and you talk to on occasion. There are a lot of possibilities when it comes to acquaintances because they can either evolve into casual or close friends, or they may stay simply as someone you chat with from time to time. Either way, acquaintances are blank slates with hundreds of possibilities, and it’s good to fill your life with as many acquaintances as possible – you never know if one will become something more!
