The Venn Diagram of Life

Why is it that, in that Venn Diagram of life, the circles of "People you love" and "Friends" only touch the tiniest of bits? Why is it that when relationships end, people have a tendency to become farther apart than they were initially? In the relationship, the other person is entrusted with our innermost thoughts and dreams, our desires and fears, the best and worst of who we are. I find it intriguing that when the romance from a relationship is lost, these ties are oftentimes also severed.

While dating isn't Biblical, it is today's society's version of finding a mate. When once we realize that our partner is not suitable for marriage, we simply move on to another partner. Only it isn't always simple. Many people I know, myself included, have said, "I'd like it if we stayed friends." Why is this such a widely-desired conclusion, but one so rarely achieved?

It intrigues me that when we sever romantic ties, we instinctively sever emotional ties as well. We do not settle on a friend stage, we sever them. Are we, as human beings, afraid that someone who is not romantically attached to us will run amok with our emotional baggage? Is it easier to simply give up on a relationship than to remain friends, even though that's what so many people claim to want? I say we work a little harder and let's try to make the circles overlap a bit more.