Who decides the limits? It’s we and the people around define the rules of togetherness. So, if there is no set of legitimate rules then why do we restrict ourselves from making friendships beyond the social norms? We all grow, design our outlooks based on our experiences, andbehave accordingly. However, we are never obligated to follow the so-called friendship rules. Then why do we do it? After all the experiences I have had so far, one thing is for sure- friendship has no limits. The situations in life and the influence of othersmake us set limits on sociability.
Also, have you wondered why do we make social groups or look forward to befriending people of similar age groups? That’s because we are sure that our wavelengths will match. We will have a common attitude towards life. And on these grounds, we bond well. But, believe me, older friends and being friends with opposite genders can show a brighter picture of life. That’s because every individual paints his/her life as they have envisioned. Let’s further look into why there are no barriers to friendship.
Age is Just a Number- We Are Young at Heart
Of course, you might have heard this many times, but it’s true. And you might also agree that age can’t be the deciding factor in all situations, especially when socializing and building amicable relationships with like-minded people.
One thing you’ve got to note that you must age gracefully but you shouldn’t be disheartened about the fact that you can’t do things that you did in your youth. As far as friendship is concerned befriend everyone you meet, irrespective of the age differences. You never know with whom you would strike the right chord.
It’s all about enjoying life and reliving the forgotten moments. Don’t bother about the world, the world is filled with hypocrites and double standards.
Friendship Has No Limits But How is It Linked with Gender Discrimination?
Oh! Come on! We are human beings first. Where does this sexism come from? It’s prejudice and we all have been suffering this unsocial norm for ages. In this digital era, we still have inequality issues, right from equal wages to equal rights. But why are there rules for friendship?
If you look at how society drafted a norm on the conduct of men and women in their daily lives, that moved into laying the foundation of friendship rules. It was all in the mind and then it got dogmatized. It’s how we just accepted that friendships can be formed only in similar age groups and similar genders. That’s honestly preposterous. Friendship is a strong interpersonal bond and that can’t be restricted to genders. That’s why I say friendship has no limits.
You say, Age Difference means Generation Gap? I say It’s Individual Perspective!
I was once sitting in the park next to an old lady (maybe in her 70s). She saw children looking at their cell phones instead of playing in the park. That incident broke the silence and led to a lovely conversation between us. She shared some amusing anecdotes about her life. She said how life was different when there were no cell phones. People at her home used to sit together for dinner and discussed their day at work. She and her grandchildren used to play together before going to bed and she used to read stories to them.
But cell phones changed their lives. Now her grandchildren play on their cell phones instead of playing on the playgrounds. They listen to poems and read stories on their mobiles. None of the family members had time to even talk to her. I told her it’s the digital era, and you can’t help it. But her only question was why is technology taking away their real life. If the virtual world isn’t the actual world, then why so much indulgence?
Heart-to-Heart Conversation Reflecting Friendship has no limits
I said people change as their surroundings change around them. It’s not the technology, it’s the company (at work or school) they keep that leads to reliance on technology. Maybe they aren’t happy communicating with people anymore and hence, they seek solace in spending time on the internet.
And that led to further conversation. You see this is how the mindsets differ. I had a different perspective about virtual indulgence and the old lady had a different perspective. But we both were right on each other’s part. Since then, we often meet up in the park and have a great laugh together. I am proud to say, we share a great camaraderie. Does age matter? No! Hence, friendship has no limits, it’s all about striking the right chord and bonding well.
Opposite Sexes Can’t Be True Friends! Who said? – It’s Just a Social Stigma
Do you know how powerful your mind is? It believes whatever you see or perceive around you. I would specifically like to talk about people who were born in the 80s and early 90s. Many of them were told during their school days that they shouldn’t be friends with another gender. If you are a girl befriend a girl but not a boy.
And this became a mindset which then they carried throughout their lives. When we believe something is prohibited, it becomes an inhibition. This is why many men or women do not open up easily to befriend the opposite sexes.
It’s the society that states the rules and we blindly follow them. Why don’t we question such rules? Or rather break them? It’s all in your mind. If you have a de-cluttered mind your friendship with the opposite gender can flourish beautifully. Ask Gen Z! They will tell you, that indeed friendship has no limits.
Words of Wisdom Often Come from Older Friends
Older people have seen the life, lived the life, and have had experiences that you and I will never have any time soon. They genuinely don’t care who likes them or hates them. It’s just that they wish to live the rest of their lives happily and die in peace.
So, if you are given some advice from your aged friends, then pay some heed. That advice could be for your betterment. If you don’t like it, it’s fine. But do not ignore it. Most of their advice comes from experiences and struggles. If you have friends with a major age difference, then you are indeed lucky to have them.
Being friends with them will bring no harm to you, you can share your sorrows and happiness without any hesitation. That’s because they have already been through your stage. This is the reason I say friendship has no limits.
Stereotyping Ruins It All, but Comradeship Binds it Well. Friendship Has No Limits
Is there anything on this earth that isn’t stereotyped? We human beings have the habit of stereotyping everything we see or do. For instance, you may have heard this many times that women cannot run a startup because they lack proper skills and they don’t have the skills to partner with others.
Running a startup or any business for that matter is being stereotyped as ‘only men can run’. Why not women? But this article on Ladders.com will change your perception that friendship has no limits and it can discard the attitude of stereotyping. Various companies based in the US are startups that were established by women BFFs and they have flourished by leaps and bounds.
They had age differences, their perceptions differed, but they had a common attitude. The zeal to soar higher and to set a benchmark for other friends.
Friends from Similar groups behave Competitively, but Younger and Older Friends are Easygoing
I know this explains it all. We all have friends from the same age group, they are friendly, but they also possess a competitive attitude. Unlike friends from different age groups, they look at us as competition. That’s not friendship to me.
Friendship has to be fulfilling. There shouldn’t be an iota of bitterness. That’s not the case with younger and older friends because younger friends are free and welcoming. While older friends have nothing to fear because they have already lived their life and have been through your age.
But that doesn’t mean that you should not be friends with people of your age. All I say is you must welcome people to be your friends from all walks of life. There is no barrier as such and you mustn’t create any.
Who Said Younger Friends Ill-treat? Let Them Behave Their Age, You Behave Yours
Human beings tend to complicate things. We turn pedantic in every new aspect of life. Why is being friends with younger people difficult? Why do you have to judge them for being their age? They are living their life and so should you.
Comparisons kill the good vibes. Nobody ill-treats you, it’s all in your mind. Younger friends may be foul-mouthed, but that’s because they probably had some bad experience. You also might have had some terrible experiences in your high school days, and maybe even you might be whiny at times. So, that doesn’t mean you are bad or the younger people are bad.
Keep your arms open and let the good people be your friends. Like friendship has no limits, so should you have an open approach to life without any reticence.
You Define What Companionship Means to You and Remember Friendship Has No Limits
Every individual has a unique definition of friendship. It’s a source of positivity, for some, it brings joy to their life, it’s a medium to communicate their inner-most feelings, while for others it’s a strong foundation that supports their life.
You may also have bad encounters related to friendship, but it’s up to you how you take it. Mishaps and negative experiences are found in other aspects of life as well. People will force you to look at life their way, they will also define friendship for you. But you decide what friendship really means to you.
Life is Too Short to Succumb to Such a baseless Mindset
We all make mistakes in our youthful days. We aim to impress people and befriend only those who are attractive. But in reality, when you have people from different age groups and gender in your life, you get inspiration to live more positively.
Your outlook towards life changes and you won’t give a damn to what people may think about you. If you change your perception, that will show in your actions. So, do not fall into the trap of rules and regulations. Defy the rules and live the life as per your choice.
