Is it a dating or a meeting???

@ryanong (9665)
Vietnam
May 16, 2012 9:01pm CST
When i share with my boyfriend that i go to meet my friend for coffee, he always asks me man or woman, how many people? When I said he is man, and 1 only. He is my classmate and my closed friend also. But my boyfriend is angry and he said meeting one guy is a dating, not a meeting. I have no right to date a man more since i am his girlfriend. umh, i don't understand much, in here we often do like that, meet friends for coffee, sometime with many guys, but sometime just meet 1 guy and we call it is a meeting because we are closed friends. I explain like that to my boyfriend, but he could not except it, he repeats meet 1 guy is a dating, not a meeting. I am frustrated with it. How is your opinion, you guys? Is it true as what my boyfriend said?
3 people like this
12 responses
@welkin (106)
• China
17 May 12
As a man,I think I can understand the feeling of your boyfriend.If my girlfriend goes out with another man and have coffee together,I don't think I can be happy. Most of the time,it should not be called jealous,since you two are in a relationship.That's how lovers usually act,isn't it?Ask your friends around,I'm sure most of them can understand your boyfriend's feeling.Well,why don't you try to bring your boyfriend with you while meeting him?I think this is feasible. Lovers should trust each other.But sometimes we care each other too much.The relationship between a man and a woman can be very complicated.The good news is that your boyfriend is very afraid of losing you.He cares you a lot.The bad news is that this might have some bad influence on your daily life.This is quite normal.Two people's life is so different from a single life.You two just need some time to solve this problem. Anyway,in my opinion,your boyfriend's feeling is quite understandable.Think more for him,if possible.One more question,from what you've said,it seems that your boyfriend does the same thing(meeting with another woman himself).I totally don't agree his behavior.I suggest you talk to him about it.If he can guarantee such things would not happen anymore,you should also respect him. Both of you should be the kind of people worthy of being loved.Do you think so?
1 person likes this
@ryanong (9665)
• Vietnam
17 May 12
Thank you so much for your concerning. I understand your meaning, but honestly i can't give up all my closed friends in here because of him. I cant imagine how i live without any friends more. We are in friendship for long long time and always keep in touch even though i lived abroad for long time. I wish i can meet all of them for every friend meeting but it can't because of their work, private life...then sometime i do meet 1 of them only for coffee. Since i am in love with him, i don't make a new friend at all, just meet closed friends only. I am thinking that if i make a new friend, i also introduce that i am in relationship, i won't hide it. But he could not accept my meeting with 1 guy even though i told many times that they are my closed friends. I told him that i don't mind if he has a coffee meeting with his closed female friends, I don't want he has to give up his closed friends because of me, i am not selfish, we can still keep in touch with closed friends while we are in love. Why he could not understand for it?
@ryanong (9665)
• Vietnam
17 May 12
Thank you so much for your concerning. Well, currently i don't know...This is just one and we got many conflicts recently when talking and then i decided wont talk with him for a while. I had not been talking with him for 3 days already.
@welkin (106)
• China
17 May 12
I agree with your thought.Friends are part of our life.The thing is,as you have described,your boyfriend is the kind of person who can't accept it easily.Anyway,I think it needs time.Like what I've said above,I think almost every man has the unpleasant feeling more or less.Maybe it is hard for him to accept.But with your sincere talking with him,I believe things will become better. Hope you and your bf can understand each other better and keep a nice relationship!
@jbrooks0127 (2324)
• United States
17 May 12
Only you know for sure if it could be called a meeting or a date. A meeting is with someone you associate with, perhaps on business, a date is someone you either are or could get close to. If your friend is even slightly more than a friend it would be a date even though you may not think of it that way. You do have a right to meet anyone you choose but it is clear your boyfriend has lost trust that he may be exclusive to you. that may not be true but something has made him jealous. Consider this. What if he had a female friend that he went out to coffee now and then. How would you feel about that. Maybe it's a girl you used to date but it cooled so they are only friends. Would you think twice about letting that happen or would you trust what he says. If you would not feel good about that then you are right where your boyfriend is. It is good that you tell your boyfriend about this. That should tell him allot. But often that is just not enough. One thing you need to keep in mind. The more he is offended by this the sooner you will lose him. He may be wrong but it is clear he is hurt by what he thinks may be happening.
1 person likes this
• United States
18 May 12
From your words I can tell you tell the truth. It is sad that he does not trust you because I think he has someone he loves bus somehow is not sure of. For some men, they care too much and they perhaps can't believe they could be so lucky and as a result the fear they will lose the one they love. What they can never see however is they can never lose what they don't already have. He has you but he just can't except it. Perhaps the fear of losing you is just to great for him to see what he has. Please talk with him about this at length. Tell him everything and have him tell you exactly how he feels only try to make it happen when you both are not upset. May be hard to do I know but it is very much worth a try. There is nothing worst than losing someone because you drive them away. If he doesn't come to grips with this and understand that may very well happen with you. I lost my first wife of 37 years because I didn't give her enough attention. Don't let that happen to you.
@ryanong (9665)
• Vietnam
18 May 12
I am sorry to hear your story. You are right, there is nothing worst than losing someone because you drive them away, I love my guys and honestly i dont want any bad ending come because of conflicts, misunderstanding. I will try to talk with him soon and i do hope everything will be fine. Thank you so much for advices.
@ryanong (9665)
• Vietnam
18 May 12
Thank you for your concerning. Umh, we are classmates and has been being in the pure friendship for 10~14 years. So that i know clearly that it is friend meeting, not dating at all. I don't mind if he goes coffee with his closed female friends. I know he has some closed female friends also. But he could not accept for my case. I am very straight and i don't hide about my meetings. I just do hope he could understand me more..
1 person likes this
@bing28 (3795)
• Philippines
17 May 12
There's nothing wrong if it will be called dating, as long as it is a friendly date. What's common to many is that we date someone we love but it could be date with our friends. Let him believe what he thinks of dating just assure him it's a friendly date.
@ryanong (9665)
• Vietnam
17 May 12
Ya, i told him that i meet a friend who is my closed friend, we have been being in friendship for 14 years already...but my bf still insists that it is not good, i should not do meet 1 guy because it is a dating. He is ok if i meet many friends who are women, he is uncomfortable if i meet many friends but all of them are men. However, i don't have many women friends.
@annavi23 (6522)
• Philippines
17 May 12
I guess it depends on what you believe in. If you are talking to a friend about business, it is called a meeting. If you are just enjoying each other, it can be called a date specially when you two are different sexes. Your boyfriend can really be jealous cause he don't want you to hang out with other guys anymore. That can be really a problem most of the time on being in a relationship. you can't hang out alone with one guy anymore, not like if you are single...
@annavi23 (6522)
• Philippines
20 May 12
to avoid jealousy, it is better to have meetings with friends in groups, or even in two's will do. just keep it more of female side...for your partner not to be jealous again and for him also not to htink that you are cheating on him...
@ryanong (9665)
• Vietnam
21 May 12
Ya, you are right..with a jealous guy like my bf, i have to do like that to keep all in peace. However, i don't have many female friends. Most of my friends are male...he was mad because of it also when he asked me why most my friends are male. I said i studied in engineering then most my classmates, my colleagues are men. Currently i am the only woman in my department also.
@ryanong (9665)
• Vietnam
17 May 12
Umh, when meet closed friends, we just talk about work, current life, his kids, etc... I will try to meet friends in group and may limit to meet 1 friend for coffee but i think i can't completely give up meeting my friends because of him.
@rashme317 (250)
• Philippines
17 May 12
for me it is dating , but it's okay as long as it is "friendly " date only cause you are already into a relationship, i think it's much better if you bring you're boyfriend if you'll meet again with your friend and introduce your boyfriend to hin so that you're boyfriend will have no doubt about your friendly date.
@ryanong (9665)
• Vietnam
17 May 12
Umh, then it is a friend dating.... Well, i will do as your advice, introduce my bf will all my closed friends so that i hope he can accept it. Thank you for your advice.
@ryanong (9665)
• Vietnam
17 May 12
Ya, i hope so...
• Philippines
17 May 12
you're welcome ,hope he can understand you, may you have stronger relationship :)
• United States
18 May 12
I am a pretty jealous person sometimes and i wouldn't want my boyfriend to go out with a girl let alone just one, i could see if maybe it were some guys and some girls like a big group but, not one on one. Although that's just me, i wouldnt go out with just one guy either because, he might think the wrong thing. guys are guys you may say your going to just hang out but, the guy might read that as he has a chance and if you love your boyfriend you are with you dont want to give him chances. that's how i feel but, its up to you what you do.
@ryanong (9665)
• Vietnam
18 May 12
Thank you for your sharing. My case...most my friends are men, i have 2-3 female friends only and they live far away from my place. If i don't meet male friends more, it means that i have to give up all my closed male friends also. He told me go out to make friends with woman, but how? All my male friends are my classmates since a long time ago.
@ryanong (9665)
• Vietnam
18 May 12
yep, i think it is the only solution to keep all in peace.. I should introduce my bf with all my closed friends then hope he won't doubt whenever i go coffee meeting with them.
• United States
18 May 12
Oh i understand maybe you could meet with them and take your boyfriend along and let them meet him as well maybe if they become friends he will trust you with them more.
@MoonGypsy (4606)
• United States
17 May 12
yes, if you are in a relationship and you are going out for "meetings" with other guys...it's like a date. this is how relationships start sometimes, by "meetings". i could understand why your boyfriend is upset. i would not be happy if my bf went out with another girl. even if it is for a "meeting". they can turn into dates real fast.
@ryanong (9665)
• Vietnam
17 May 12
Oh....I understand your meaning. My boyfriend said the same as what you said. But i just meet closed friends only, who has been being in my friendship for long time, 10-14 years. In here, sometime we can't meet many friends at the same time then just meet 1 for coffee.
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
17 May 12
I can relate to your situation because I have a close male friend that I have known for 14 years. Before I met my ex-boyfriend my male friend and I often often had coffee or dinner together as friends. I told my ex-boyfriend about him and I introduced them to eachother. My ex-boyfriend wasn't jealous, because he knew that we were just old friends, and he thought that it was fine to meet him for coffee sometimes, and our friendship continued without problems. When my ex-boyfriend and I broke up I met my husband, and he is very, very jealous, so it is totally out of the question to have coffee alone with my male friend. We have been friends for 14 years and we have never been more than friends, but my husband is still jealous, so we never meet alone. My husband and I meet him together instead and my friend and my husband have become good friends. In your situation I would I introduce my friend to my boyfriend and invite my boyfriend to participate in the meetings with my friend. Your boyfriend is probably jealous and afraid of losing you and if you invite him to the meetings you show him that you don't have anything to hide and that you just want to spend time with an old friend.
@ryanong (9665)
• Vietnam
18 May 12
Thank you for your sharing. You got the same situation like mine. Your advices are very valuable. I should do as what you said. And i hope i still keep both my long time friendship and my relationship also.
@jaiho2009 (39142)
• Philippines
17 May 12
I don't see anything wrong going out with a friend especially if the person is your bestfriend/close friend. If your boyfriend loves you, he should trust you too. Without trust, how can love survive. Jealousy is a part of every relationship, but too much doubting is not good either.
@ryanong (9665)
• Vietnam
18 May 12
I totally agree with you. I used to talk him that i don't mind if he goes coffee with his closed female friends... I love your sentence: Jealousy is a part of every relationship, but too much doubting is not good either....it is totally right...
@chicgale (2982)
• Philippines
17 May 12
For me it is not dating. Well, maybe your boyfriend is just a little insecure about it. Why don't you bring him along with you and introduce him to your male friend?
@ryanong (9665)
• Vietnam
17 May 12
Ya, i don't think it is a dating, i think it is a meeting. My boyfriend is a stubborn guy, he insists that his talk is right, it is not easy to change his mind. I am crazy with it.
@ryanong (9665)
• Vietnam
17 May 12
Ya, it is what i am doing now...being patient...
@chicgale (2982)
• Philippines
17 May 12
Yeah, some men are like that. Just be patient for now.. :-)
@yrallih (147)
17 May 12
Somehow meeting a guy with only the two of you could really run thoughts into your boyfriend's mind but if your conscience is clear and there's really no motives behind it, i don't think it's appropriate for him to be mad at you because even I have lots of guys as close friends.
@ryanong (9665)
• Vietnam
18 May 12
They are my closed friends, we has been being in friendship for long long time. I won't give up my old friends because of my bf. But i don't want to get mad whenever he is jealous like that. I just want him understand that it is pure friendship even we meet 1 and 1 in the coffee shop.
@mikyung (2232)
• Philippines
18 May 12
I think, both of you should talk in peaceful, relaxed manner and try to figure out the real problem. And try to come up with a concrete or specific solution to your problem. It can be too frustrating for the both of you, you - explaining to the best of your ability but he still he can't understand or refuses to understand. If he really cares for you, he should give you the benefit of the doubt. Try to solve your problems before it is too late. This is from a man's point of view.
@ryanong (9665)
• Vietnam
18 May 12
yes, i think so...but it seems hard...so that i really don't know what to do next with this relationship. Many troubles, problems, conflicts happen in this time. I am totally tired of it.