Exploring one of life's most valuable gifts
November is a month that can elicit mixed emotions. It begins with the end of daylight savings time, and night falling before most Americans leave work. Veterans Day falls a week or so later, a time of solemnity and remembrance when we honor those who have served our country. And then Thanksgiving comes, later in... Continue Reading →
When Sara and I began researching the topic of friendship prior to launching our blog in early 2021, there were seemingly few books on the subject. We read Surgeon General Vivek Murthy’s groundbreaking book, Together, about the loneliness epidemic in our country, and interviewed author Lydia Denworth about her book on the science of friendship.... Continue Reading →
Most people crave the feeling of belonging. A desire to create community and coalesce around a shared purpose is what has led to the lasting success of many community, university, and social organizations. Growing up, we find community in the classroom, experience shared victories on sports teams, and discover common interests in clubs. Then we... Continue Reading →
In our daily lives, we often interact with people in a service capacity – baristas, hair stylists, receptionists, or therapists – to name a few. We might not think much of these interactions at the start, but over time they can blossom into meaningful relationships. Friendly interactions with those in service roles are loose connections... Continue Reading →
September is National Suicide Prevention Month, a time dedicated to raising awareness of suicide risk and promoting resources for prevention. According to the CDC, “suicide is one of the leading causes of death in the United States,” and results in “one death every 11 minutes.” It is an overwhelming statistic, and suicide can seemingly occur... Continue Reading →
Fall is a magical season of vibrant colors, crisp air, and plenty of opportunities to create lasting memories with friends. As much as I love fall, between the back-to-school madness and a shift into high gear at work when summer ends, Labor Day can sometimes feel like stepping on a gas pedal that won't let... Continue Reading →
When friends come together for creative collaboration, the results can produce art that would never be possible as a solo pursuit. Sara recently wrote about one of our favorite famous friendship pairs, Ben Affleck and Matt Damon. Another pair I’ve admired for even longer is Emily Saliers and Amy Ray, more popularly recognized as the... Continue Reading →
Although living in one area for the past several decades has helped me to build and sustain many local friendships over time, I was reminded by a recent dinner with a friend I met in Germany more than 30 years ago that lasting bonds can be formed in a relatively short time. When I moved... Continue Reading →
Becoming a parent is an experience that forever changes the landscape of friendships. Before parenting, most of us make friends at school, work and through shared interests. But once the first child arrives, hobbies can become memories. And in my case, any time not commuting or at work was spent parenting and attempting to stay... Continue Reading →
Summer can feel like a gift, but also a bit like a tease. Once it's finally and reliably warm enough by July 4 to plan a beach outing in the Chicago area, we have to face the fact that summer is nearly half over. Still, summer is easily our favorite time of year here at... Continue Reading →
Language of Friendship 