Exploring one of life's most valuable gifts
This summer has felt a little less relaxing than most for me, and I don't think I'm alone in that feeling. After a few years of a slower pace and minimal crowds because of the pandemic, The Washington Post has called this summer “the busiest travel season in a generation." It's been great to see... Continue Reading →
Any day can be an excuse to celebrate a special friendship, but July 30th was designated by the United Nations as International Friendship Day to recognize the "importance of friendship...in the lives of human beings around the world." While we at LOF advocate making every day about friendship, we strongly support the UN's goal of... Continue Reading →
When you leave a beautiful place, you carry it with you wherever you goAlexandra Stoddard Thinking about the places I’ve called home sometimes feels like recalling a lifelong friend. Much like a close friend can be counted on to provide companionship and solace, certain places can evoke the same emotions. As the setting for memorable... Continue Reading →
On July 4th the community of Highland Park was attacked by gunfire. The reactions to the sudden violence and terror in this suburban Chicago community range from shock to sadness, and fear to anger. In the past decade, this kind of violence has become more common, and our collective response has been a futile attempt... Continue Reading →
When I remember childhood Father’s Day celebrations with my dad, I think of a trip to one of our favorite Smithsonian museums when we were still living near Washington, D.C., or sharing some of his homemade pizza when I was a teen in Kentucky. Those were special moments with my dad that my siblings and... Continue Reading →
With days getting longer and fewer COVID restrictions impacting events lately, it’s time to make 2022 a summer to remember! A recent article in the Washington Post about the coronavirus shared that, "Fewer than 3 in 10 Americans say it is a major factor in their summer vacation plans." However, the article goes on to... Continue Reading →
Good friends follow you anywhere. Winnie the Pooh I love to travel and can’t remember a time when the anticipation of a trip didn’t make my days a little brighter. Growing up in the Southeastern United States far from extended family meant annual summer road trips to see them in New England. While our destination... Continue Reading →
The teaching profession, matching wedding invitations, and motherhood were the elements that connected my mom to one of the most meaningful friendships of her life that has impacted the next two generations. In her late 20s, my mom had spent a summer with her brother and his new wife in Washington, DC, where she met... Continue Reading →
One day in 1977 when my family was living in Arlington, Virginia, we helped our church community resettle a refugee family from Southeast Asia to the United States. My older sister Monica recently recalled: “There were so many kids in such a small apartment. It made a huge impression on me, about giving." We both remember... Continue Reading →
“Plant the garden of your life with friendship’s lovely flowers.”Unknown Spending my childhood in Virginia and Kentucky, I grew to love the many beautiful flowers and trees in my yards. Our house in Arlington was lined with colorful azalea bushes, and I found comfort in the dogwood and magnolia trees with their trusty blooms each... Continue Reading →
Language of Friendship 