GIRLS VS. BOYS

When I was a youngin, I played in an all girl softball league. I can see the team picture clear as day. Our red and white team shirts with our first names on the back, black gym shorts circa 1982, and knee high white gym socks with the red stripes at the top. Lets not forget the solo pic where I'm standing over home plate with the bat slightly lopsided and I'm squinting my eyes cause the sun is so bright. Okay.. back on the path to my point. The one thing about that picture I remember is thinking "where were the boys?". Through kindergarten and elementary school, the sexes were segregated. Whether it was P.E., after school sports .. the environment where competition is at its highest.. got me thinking.. if we didn't learn how to play nice in those formative years, what makes us think we can play nice as adults. After counseling a guy friend through what looks like a break up of something promising, I found it odd how similar the reaction is to hurt, disappointment or rejection no matter what the gender. He was genuinely caught off guard by the break down of his relationship. I always thought guys just shrug it off, go have a jack and coke, and call the next chick on speed dial for a sleep over. Not to take pleasure in his pain (cause that chick was wrong), but it was nice to see real raw emotion. Now the transformation begins. The nice guy that was always open about his feelings (in a masculine way) has now been badly burned for the first time, and his trust for women has all but disappeared. I know he'll think differently about it a few days from now, but we've all been there. So my question is.. if we surprisingly are similar in that way where we BOTH can be emotional creatures.. why can't boys and girls.. men and women meet somewhere in the middle?