What I've Learned in Relationships Class

Since I've been sick, this is my second post of the day. I hope it makes up for my lack in posts lately. Thanks for sticking around. Little Thoughts, Big Ideas has hit over 3,600 views! That makes me so overjoyed! 

I took the class Relationships because a) I needed another practical art credit and b) it sounded so easy. 

Well, it is possibly the easiest class ever, but I've actually learned some. The main lesson we are focusing on right now is intimacy. Before you get confused and slightly weirded out, let me explain. 

I was a little confused when my teacher announced we would be learning about intimacy vs. sex. After all, I wanted to learn how to build better relationships with family and friends, not how to get a boyfriend. 

Then there was the paper my teacher passed out and printed on top was: SEX IS NOT ALWAYS INTIMATE AND INTIMACY IS NOT ALWAYS SEX. 

I, personally, have always been aware of this.  On the other hand, many high schoolers are not. I think it's a very interesting concept. 

Having sex does not mean you're intimate with someone and vise versa. Now of course when you're older you can certainly choose a path that associates the two. 

But for now, us high schoolers should stick to building healthy and strong relationships. That's my opinion anyways. Live your own life by all means. 

The definition of intimate is:

adjective

1. associated in close personal relations: an intimate friend.

2. characterized by or involving warm friendship or a personally close or familiar association or feeling: an intimate greeting.

3. very private; closely personal: one's intimate affairs.

Nowhere in the definition are the words "in love" or "sex" or "kissing" or anything else like that. Being intimate is a much deeper and personal idea.  

So often high schoolers confuse romantic behaviors as being intimate and label it as "love." They do certain things because they believe that love will come out of it. It's a mistake I see my peers make far too often. 

Now I strongly believe you can love people in high school. There's your family to love, your friends, and whoever else you may care about. 

But loving someone is not being in love with them. 

Certainly, some people may be or have been in love with high school. I, on the other hand, have not. I don't know what it means to love someone in that movie romance sort of way.  I'm young still. I've barely lived life.  

I love my family and close friends unconditionally. I have intimate relationships with some of them because I can talk to them about anything and I know we can always rely on one another. There is trust and understand. That is the foundation to love. 

If you can look at someone, see their flaws, and care for them anyways you know you love them. You can't deny it then. No, I'm not saying you're in love, but you most likely do love them and would do anything to protect them. 

So that's what I learned in relationships. We can be intimate with different people in different ways. Remember that. Until next time xxx.