Jesus started with it. So did Mary, his mother. Likewise St. Joseph remained faithful to his commitments. And we know that our children are better off with a committed amateurs than they would be with skilled professionals who simply regard them as clients. And when you find a skilled professional who is at the same time committed . . .
Casual friendships can be fun.
But they can, at the same time, be deadly. Think of how young men and women have been ravaged by one night stands. And look at what happens to people who treat sexual intimacy as something that is merely casual and fun. The excitement of a casual and superficial life quickly leads to depression, a sense of emptiness, loss and degradation. Compare that sort of living with living in the joy of a genuine and loving true friendship, one filled with commitment I've heard the life-stories of lots of people, true life stories that make fictional novels pale by comparison.