Poop Shute

Oh Holy Jinkies!

So, I have this friend. This friend and I used to be very good friends. Her and I would talk endlessly for hours on end. This friend was also my roommate at that time. That was about three years ago. When we moved out of that apartment, there was a bit of a falling out.

This friend is also in a long term relationship with one of my oldest and dearest friends. It was hard for a while to be around them, but over the past couple years, we have mended the friendship a little. We have been hanging out from time to time, and it has been nice. We'll never have the kind of repoire that we once had, but I'm happy to have her in my life again.

This weekend I apparently crossed a line.

The friend has a younger sister. The sister and I have both expressed an attraction to one another. This weekend, things happened. We kissed. The friend was NOT happy about it.

It seems that when two people of consenting age want to pursue each other, they need permission from family members prior to engaging in said pursuit. I understand this idea, and have heard it many times from many sources. I also understand that it is irrational, inappropriate, and out-dated.

I mentioned that "she is a grown woman, and can make her own decisions."

That received the reply "Eighteen doesn't necassarily mean grown-up, and neither does twenty-six." This was clearly a dig at me, suggesting that even at twenty-six, I had not displayed emotional maturity in this situation. Clearly, I am the one at fault here for giving the sister credit to be her own person. What was I thinking?

True enough, eighteen does not in itself mean that she has any kind of emotional maturity or even good decision-making skills. Some people in their autumn years will never achieve those things. BUT as a society we recognize that at the arbitrarily chosen age of eighteen, a person is responsible for their own actions. They can vote, smoke, buy pornography, serve in the military, serve on a jury, etc. So, who is to stop her from any action that does not directly affect the life, liberty and pursuit of happiness of others?

My actions were also called "selfish."
I did not show it at the time, but inside this made me chuckle a little.
Yes, of course it was selfish. Has anyone ever in the history of this world ever pursued a romantic interest for purely selfLESS reasons? Is that even possible? I mean, sure, you want the other person to be happy, but you go after them because it makes YOU happy first. Right? Relationships grow into something that involves selfless sacrifice and compromise in the long run, but initially you are going after what you perceive will make you happy. Period. So, telling me that kissing anyone is a selfish act just really makes me think "duh." And laugh.
A lot.
I'm laughing right now actually.

I just think it is sad, and strange when people do this to anyone in their life, whether it be their own child or a younger sibling. It's disrespectful and insulting. I hope to God that when I have my own kids that I have the strength to let them make their own decisions and possibly mistakes, even at ages much younger than eighteen. I have never let anybody live my life for me, and I hope I don't do that to anyone myself.

I also hope that I have not lost a friend over something like this.