Well, it’s summer time, which means you should be outside. Invite your friends, both male and female, to have an afternoon at the park. Make it mostly about playing Frisbee, basketball, or, for you hippies, a drum circle and walking on a rope between two trees.
After the game or beats slow down, find a non-awkward time to say something like this:“I’ve been reading some crazy ideas from this odd chick who thinks unicorns exist. She talks about relationships and dared me to ask my friends this question: Do you think there is a difference between love and respect when it comes to what you desire most from someone you are romantically interested in? What does that look like for you?” (Let that play out.) Then if it feels natural, ask the following question:
“Can you remember specific times in your parents’ relationship where there was a lack of or presence of love and respect?” “Why do you think that stood out to you?
Let the conversation go from there. Don’t force it. Usually, these things unfold and you can learn a lot about your friends that you might not have known.
Give it a shot!
