Is Friendship a Recipe or a Risk?
the fine line between openness and protection
a pinch of deep stories, seasons something sturdy a friendship that withstands time but is it easy to nurture? unmeasured vulnerability a cup too full, overmixed turns dense after baking stingy transparency a dry friendship, undermixed rising unevenly, lacking flavor does baking time matter, too? fast connections overbake, burning like us crisp muffins, charred inside and out n excitement... spiraling into overt transparency, going deep too quickly, we lose boundary we mistake trauma bonding for intimacy eight cups of deep scars, two teaspoons of light conversation, psychological safety as currency are real friendships just time or a set recipe? where we only pursue people look, talk like us have our childhood stories? and how do we set the temperature? when do we know someone can be trusted? how do we find the flow without overthinking? or make a JROTC about-face— a silky-smooth 180 into oversharing? these questions spin like a toupie whirling in endless spirals our mouths chant too many syllables in some places or too little in others inching forward, we move the needle, but we tell ourselves still we’re stuck like a old-broken record repeating the same false notes we believe we haven't grown but what if, our questions are wrong are we as guarded as we used to be? have we grown beyond yesterday? so maybe we need to give ourselves permission and let time bake depth Maybe it’s time to draw clear lines Maybe boundaries are for our safety.
Heart Call:
Boundaries are not walls. It just means we learn — and relearn — who can be trusted, and who we might need to love from a distance. (Yes, even the good people.)
Your turn:
What’s your first reaction after oversharing?
How can you set boundaries with casual, close, and intimate friendships?
Photo Credits: Maksim Chernishev