Treat Them as Siblings

This small instruction holds great wisdom. When you learn to see the young people around you as siblings — with affection, with respect, without manipulation or games — you completely change the dynamic of your relationships.

A brother isn't someone you use to feel better when you're lonely and discard the moment someone better comes along. A brother isn't someone you toy with because his attention flatters you. With a brother, you're honest, direct, careful.

This standard protects you and the other person. It protects hearts from being hurt unnecessarily. It protects friendships from being destroyed by ambiguity. It protects you from entering relationships that were never meant to begin — just because the attention felt good in the moment.

Clarity is kindness. When you know where you stand and communicate it with love, you don't hurt people — you care for them. That's treating someone as a brother. With the affection they deserve, within the limits the situation calls for.