How to stay friends with the opposite gender after you are married
This can be a somewhat touchy subject to people as usually most are either on the "pro" side of being friends with the opposite gender after marriage, or they're on the "con" side. There is no in between for most, so is it actually possible to stay friends with the opposite gender after you are married, or is it a myth? Will all those friends you have through high school or college just be forgotten after you say your wedding vows. If you're looking for some possible way to still have a relationship with others of the opposite sex after you are married then here are some qualities you must possess and must be present in your marriage in order to do so.
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Trust and Respect
In order to maintain relationships and friendships of the opposite sex while you are married there has to be a large amount of trust and respect in all relationships. Your spouse needs to have complete trust in you and respect the fact that these are people that you have been friends with for a long time. You also have to have an enormous amount of respect for your spouse as this may be somewhat difficult for them to handle. Your friends also need to respect the fact that you are now married and have new and other priorities with your spouse and that you can't just run off and go play whenever you feel the desire. There are certain boundaries that all have to consider in these relationships and those boundaries should be respected and trusted with one another.
Understanding
When married people have friends of the opposite sex there has to be unlimited understanding as feelings may be more sensitive with one spouse or with a certain friend, etc. The feelings of the married couple should first and foremost be considered above any other feelings. Trying to understand how the other is feeling and being sensitive to those feelings will make the marriage stronger and the friendships easier. There must also be understanding on the part of the friends. They must learn that things are not as they use to be and that as a spouse you now have someone you should be thinking about more than yourself; first and foremost your spouse should always come before a friend, no matter how close the friendship was. If this is not the case then you may want to reconsider your friendship.
Love
With any marriage the strongest bond between the couple should be love for each other. With that love comes all other things like trust, respect, honor, understanding, etc. Love encompasses everything and if you are always honest with one another with how you feel then a friendship with a member of the opposite sex may be very possible.
The important thing to remember about remaining close with friends of the opposite sex is knowing what is appropriate and what is not. No matter what people may believe, things change when you get married, not matter how much you want them to remain the same. Boundaries are extremely important and openness and honesty must be cherished in your marriage relationship. If your spouse is having a hard time accepting the fact that you want to remain close to your friends of the opposite sex then you might want to reconsider remaining so close to those friends. After all you chose to get married and promised to put your spouse above all other things and people.
