How much do you tell your friends?

It's quite a touchy matter when it gets to what actually happened during intimate (and sometimes not so intimate) times with your better half or people you hold dear and near.

Many of the matters are very private and might spell out frustrations, and most of us don't really know how well we can measure up to other people's experiences

Growing up in the Arab world, there was never a moment when a friend would come bearing the news of his intimacy (or lack of) with anyone. There was this unwritten rule of don't tell and you sure as hell don't dare to ask.  A guy would die defending his secret if need be. I remember couple of my friends being cuffed and taken to the police station because they wouldn't admit that they were out with their girl friends. One of them received few slaps but all was good at the end and the secret was never revealed

I remember my whole group of friends severing all ties with one of the guy who practiced "kiss and tell". From that moment onward, he was considered an outcast, he was no longer trusted, he broke the golden rule.

On the flip side, most people bragging about their heroism in that arena tend to be liars and talk about people who they have either no knowledge of, or know so little of them

This morning, I received a call from a friend who started telling me all sort of intimate details about his relationship with his girlfriend. It's true she's a friend of mine as well, but it just made me fell so uncomfortable hearing all this stuff.  Although I'm always self aware that many women go through these details as a matter of casual chit-chat! Some even talk about their marriage life, the most sacred of all secrets.

By the way, Islamically speaking, a man or a woman is forbidden from saying anything about their intimate relationship to anyone. NO ONE.

Back to the subject, it doesn't really matter what kind of information your sharing about your better half. If it exposes them or  belittles them in front of other people then I think these secrets should remain sealed.

But how much information is too much? Or too little!? I say too little because sometimes I see weird looks on some people's faces if I ask about their wives. As if I insulted his honor or something, as if she doesn't even exist or he's ashamed of her existence in his life. 

Between too much, and too little lies the proper handling of these secrets. Moderation is always good. There are things that people can talk about and share, but there are things, many things, that are better left, behind closed doors