Q2). Think about someone who is a very close or best friend. Describe
the investments you and your friend have made in the relationship.
Describe how you build and communicate trust, acceptance, and
closeness. Are the dynamics of your friendship consistent with those
identified by researchers as discussed in this chapter?
A: I think my closest relationship asides from my boyfriend at the current moment is my elementary school best friend. We come from entirely different backgrounds. She was a true American while I was a traditional Asian. We both don't quite know how we became friends. Maybe it was because we were assigned to sit together on the first day of class. I didn't have any friends since I just moved to San Jose. I would follow her around with my broken English and we would hang out everyday in class, recess and lunch. We would seldom give each other presents because I really don't enjoy spending someone else's money even as a child. So I made things for her. I guess because of the time we spent together. All of our fights, bickering, helping each other get closer to our crushes, playing games together helped us get closer and closer. I really think that spending time face to face with someone brings you so much closer than virtual friends whom you text or message daily. We trusted each other with our deepest secrets such as growing up and becoming an adult, what we didn't like about the world and how it would be like if we were the parents. We accepted our differences and were fascinated on how much our worlds differ. A classic American family is very hard to come by since most people in my side of town are Asian. In my year of middle school there were only three Caucasian's! The dynamics of our relationship really do correlate to the chapter. I am grateful to have had her daily in my life. I know that she is still local but since we went to a difference high school our views have grown different and so have our social circles. I trust that if one day, I am in deep trouble and need her help she will be there to lend a hand because I will certainly do that for her with great open arms as soon as she asks,
I can relate to your friendship with my own best friend a lot. Growing up in a small town in a private school, I had a hard time making friends. One day a girl asked if I went to the same gymnastics club as her and I didn’t even know-- but from that point forward we were inseparable. She too is from a completely different background; I am from a Mexican/Caucasian heritage and her family from Iran. We both found similarities in our cultures and grew from there, knowing family time and religion was both important to us. The things we shared and valued were similar and we had a dual perspective on our friendship; we cherished and complemented each other’s differences.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading your post this week. Having that crucial face to face time with people i also believe is very important in a relationship. Whether it is with a friend or a significant other the time you spend with them is the time that will make the most impact on your relationship. All relationships are going to have their hiccups, but it is how we react to those hiccups that can either bring two people closer together or split them apart. The trust you build from these hiccups i also believe seal a relationship. The fact that you have gone through the lows and highs with that person just show their commitment to the relationship.
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