Have you ever been in a situation in which an action that may benefit your relationship with your significant other, at the same time may break the heart of a close relative? Then there are situations, perhaps not quite so severe, but the same factors come into play. A dear friend may see you being friendly with someone that he or she doesn't care for. Or he or she may have actually decided that they don't care for this person because they were surprised to see you being friendly to them!
What creates a conflict in loyalties is when: friend #1 has made an assumption that "If you truly loved me, you would not have shared a part of yourself that you shared with me, with friend #2."
I almost have to laugh when I think about it, because this is a classic scenario which causes such a great deal of conflict among relationships! I hate to say this, but to clarify what we're talking about here: friend #1 is being unfairly possessive. Often times he or she is fully aware of it too! There are many many times, when someone, even an employer... can wield their weight and say to an employee, "If you were sincere about the goals of this company, you will stay away from people such as (whoever you have befriended)."
Well, whether it's a close friend, or a family member, or even an employer, let me declare straight up: anyone who places this kind of pressure on someone who cares for them is being unfair and unjust. In my opinion, pressure of this nature needs to be resisted and ignored. The way I look at it, as one American patriot said, "Give me liberty or give me death!"*
Friend, let me encourage you, you do what your heart is telling you. Friend #1 will soon come to, not only respect you for your independence, but understand that he or she has no right to take advantage and try to control people in this way.
Patrick Henry: Give me liberty or give me death speech
*Patrick Henry
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