Have you Hugged a Friend Today?

When you're in a couple, it's easy to alienate yourself from friends. You've got someone who is more or less, obligated to hang out with you and support you. If you're like most relationships, the two of you spend the majority of your free time together. Once you get comfortable, you come to rely on that person for many of your social needs.

I know there were times when I had a bf that I wouldn't promptly return friends' phone calls, or I would find myself feeling incredibly anti-social because because I had a significant other. As long as I had him to hang out with, I didn't necessarily go out of my way to make plans with others. At the time, I knew it was foolish, but I got sucked in by being part of a couple.

I certainly don't think it ever reached the point where my friends felt the the need to call for an intervention. I never cast aside any of my friends, but in looking back, I sometimes feel guilty that I maybe wasn't as good of a friend as I could have been. As though I partially took them for granted when I should have made more of an effort to stay in touch and be a better friend.

Since I've been single and living alone, I'm much more appreciative of the time I spend with friends -- whether it's a casual phone conversation, gossiping over cocktails, or humorous, one-line emails poking fun of one another. I'm very aware of the increase in time I spend seeing and talking to my friends than I did in the past.