Thoughts on Taking Classes with Friends

I'm sitting in class with a dear friend of mine as I write this, so it will have to be transferred to my blog at a later point. This writing is in many ways a continuation of my treatise several days ago regarding sharing in each other's joy. I think that I have (unintentionally) given myself some additional insight on this most important matter.

I spoke with a friend of mine briefly about the ups and downs of taking classes with friends (actually, it was more of a monologue), and the fact that I have learned the hard way that it can be very straining on a friendship to take classes with your friends. Conversation flows quickly to classes, to work and frustrations therein, and all of the sudden we forget each other's joys because they are not being experienced together in the same way.

I nearly killed two of my friendships this semester--through a combination of things I did that were stupid and also a few misunderstandings. It is by God's grace alone that they remain existent at all, if not completely "intact" in my opinion.

I think that one of the most important balances that I (at least) need to find in my friendships is a balance between the sorrows experienced together and the joys experienced together. It's not an absolute necessity, but I think it might make things easier.

One thing I have learned in a horrible way is the difference between pity and love. I plan to write a whole treatise on this subject in the near future, which I will post at that time. If all that a friend hears from me is my troubles, they will grow to pity me. That, in of itself, is a good thing, but not enough to build a friendship upon. To put it more succaintly, I don't want to be pitied; I want to be loved. Everyone does. And that only comes from knowing a whole person and taking a Christlike attitude toward them--something we all need to work on.

Luke