Boundaries

Boundaries.
Everyone has them, but where do they begin and end?
In the past year I have realized that they are different for everyone, as naive as that may sound.
I'm not talking about basic tests or morality or yellow police tape; I'm tlaking about the personal highest test of friends ship: "To date or not to date...a friend's ex?"
Some of us may have had the privilege of never having to make that decision but then there are those of us that have faced this dilemma of deciding if it is worth the loss of a friendship, for a relationship that may only last one night, or possibly a lifetime of happiness. Now, the usual reaction to a friend's ex is "NO! I would never go there!" But what if your friend's ex was YOUR soul mate? Does that mean you have missed out on the love of your life just because it didn't work out with a friend? Or would you give it a try and maybe lose the guy and the friend? I suppose it depends on your relationships with both parties before the proposed affair, but ultimately it depends on what you're willing to lose. Which one is expendable? Find the collateral damage in the situation and you have your decision...right? Of course it would be very unfortunate to find out that you are in fact expendable to people that at one point were very important to you. So with that said, if it was meant to be, then it will be despite the circumstances. There is no need to force it by potentially ruining a friendship or relationship.