Can most of us really do it? Very often, we know that it should
be maintained but we just neglect it when we get busy with our
work, family, bgr etc..
In my opinion, especially platonic relationship, it is very hard to
be maintained especially when it is a pure friendship between a guy
and a girl. Normally guys will tend to have the feelings of being
taken for granted by the girls. Or it can be the other way round as
well. As it is pure friendship, the guy/girl doesn't have to always
impress the other party or try to always give in since there are no
obligations.
In my opinion, since I am a guy, 
I feel that it is
usually the guy who sacrifice for the girl and always help the
girl, showering the girl with care and concern, helping the girl
with almost anything upon requested. (Of course it doesn't applies
to everyone) But it is usually one way. Very often, after the help
from the guy and when she doesn't need his help anymore at least
for that particular moment, she will not contact him again. And
when she needs his help again (it can be a few months later or
maybe years), then she will contact him again. And It goes on and
on...
That was when a guy will feel that she is just making use of him
and being taken for granted. Maybe she doesn't realise it but it
may be too late to gain back the trust. The trust of being "good
friends".
From what I have observed, or maybe it only happens to me only,
girls wll tend to look up a guy only when she needs his help. And
usually after the incident, she will return to her bf if she has
one. Why doesn't she ask her bf for help in the first place? Maybe
she feel that her bf is busy enough and she doesn't want him to be
bothered with such trivial matters. But does that mean that good
friends should always be the one to help you settle the problems
and then you will cast him/her aside after your problem has been
resolved?
In my opinion, the way we maintain our friendship is similar to the
way we maintain our relationship after marriage. Even if we are
married to someone, the relationship between us shouldn't just stop
there. It just goes to another stage. We stil need to shower our
wife or husband with care and surprises. We still need to go out
together individually once a while or go for a holiday regardless
of how long we have been married. This is the minimum way of
showing our love for each other. And this is the same thing that
should be applied to friendship.
