What maintains communal relationships is not boundaries, as we’ve come to define them. It’s showing up. One study found that when a friend responds in times of need, people are more likely to support that friend deeply by doing things like telling them they’re okay just as they are, listening to them, cheering them up, and telling them how close they feel to them. The more support we get from friends, another study found, the more support we give to them and the more secure and close we feel to them.
