[quote=@Hope Lover]
I have one, and it relates to the tired old "friends to lovers" trope. Not saying friends can't become lovers, but being friends first is a [i]terrible[/i] dating strategy! A one-way ticket to the friend zone.

[/quote]

I don't know your life, but I can say from lots of persona experience that this is 100% not factual.

I would argue that it is the [i]best[/i] strategy, if one's goal is to have a positive relationship.. A sound relationship needs a strong foundation. If another person does not want to go beyond friends, then perhaps one or both people involved are no ready for that step or don't find the other desirable in that role in their life.

I have had friends become girlfriends and become friends again because we were both mature enough to both not want a One-Way Street and simply return to form instead of some dramatic end to the relationship entirely. Not all were mature enough to go beyond friendship yet and I had to find out the hard way, but perhaps they grew from it. I have even had such a person ruin into me at my job and apologize to me for how she was to me years ago.

Anyway, I have been with the same woman for a little over 7 years now, and we were mutual friends of someone for many years before we began our relationship as friends, which organically grew into more.

Best of luck in your endeavors! Everyone should have a healthy, loving relationship. Humans depend on it.