[theoddz]

I have one particular ex with whom I still, to this day (if I were still in contact with her), would be able to enjoy a wonderful, healthy friendship with. We didn't start out as friends, but in a smokey bar one night, a night that ended up with us jumping in bed for a one night stand. I was something like 22 years old then, and her 19. Things were kind of stormy after that, due to her being, well, 19 years old and just newly out on her own and newly "out".

We couldn't make a relationship work, probably due to nothing more than just pure immaturity....on both our parts. Thing is, we really liked each other!! I've always tended to be very much on the reserved, quiet side and she was the "wild child". Anyway, I also became good friends with her mother, and the rest of her family, too. I even called her mother "Mama". After about a year, I was almost just like a member of her family and always invited to dinner, holiday celebrations, etc.

When Brenda and I finally figured out that we couldn't make a relationship work, we couldn't quite let go of that special friendship we had, and of just pure *liking* each other. It was always like I'd always known her, been close to her, and almost like she was a bit of a sister to me. Anyway, after the romantic attachment was ended, Brenda and I decided that we both wanted to work hard to retain our friendship. It was a conscious choice and desire, on both our parts, to do this. You know what?? That friendship took more work...more honest-to-Pete W-O-R-K and dedication to develop, but we started with a firm foundation of L-I-K-E. That's important. I think that, when you try to build something like that, and there's water under another kind of bridge between you, you really, really have to work at and realize what you're trying to do, then keep that goal in perspective. Again, I don't want to endlessly repeat what others have said here, but I do think that a key point here is boundaries....and respect for each other.

To tell you the truth, I'm surprised to this day that, as immature as we were, emotionally, we were able to keep the friendship in focus and not let it stray onto each others' toes, but we did. We had the most beautiful of friendships, once all the feelings were put into perspective, and boundaries established and respected. I have to say that the love and friendship of her family was important here, too. Her mother, also my dear friend, helped me to understand Brenda better, and to deal with my own emotions of letting go of "that" part and learning to love my friend unconditionally. Brenda and I finally drifted apart and lost contact, but I still think of her a lot and wonder how she's doing. I know that, if I had her number, I could pick up that phone and my old dear friend would be on that other end of the line, just as happy to hear my voice (which has changed quite a bit!!) as I would be to hear hers.

Yes, I think you can build a helluva friendship with an ex, but you have to want it and you have to be BOTH willing to work at it. You also have to have a very healthy amount of respect and L-I-K-E for each other. It's easy to tell someone "I love you", but you need to be able to honestly say "I LIKE you" too. I guess that, for (at the time) two very young, inexperienced people, Brenda and I were pretty danged lucky to have had each other. We were even more fortunate to have had in each other two people who really loved and respected each other enough to want to work at *Liking* each other.

Good luck. I do hope it works out for you, whichever direction your paths take you.

~Theo~