Re: 'Young Friend'

Yeah, what Nate said, exactly: I am not sure if I can give an official definition for "young friend", but I guess I can tell you what I mean when I use the term. Actually, I think that it can have many shades of meaning for each person and each relationship. But, in general, I use the term to describe a boy for whom I have come to care deeply and who has shown that he cares for me. It is someone who I feel a committment towards in the relationship - far more than "just friends". I shy away from the boyfriend/girlfriend analogy, though. My own feeling is that that kind of relationship would place an unfair expectation on a young man. My expectations in a yf relationship are that I get to come alongside him for a time in his life and support him and help him grow. I fully expect him to grow beyond his "need" for me eventually and I want to support and encourage him when that happens. So, for me it is a mentoring relationship that I am building. So, it is possible to have several YFs. My ex-girlfriend's son is a YF to me, and so is my nephew, but many of the kids I work with are not YFs. Even if you're making a big difference in a boy's life, there has to be something "more" for him to be counted as your YF. Having a YF is more than being a mentor. There's a feeling of true friendship between the two of you, as if whatever happens, you'll both take up space in each other's hearts [love] and minds [good memories] for the rest of your lives.