Exploring one of life's most valuable gifts
Enjoying a delicious meal with a friend is not merely one of life's great pleasures; it can also be an important outlet for reducing stress, fostering social connection and making heathier food choices. According to a recent survey by the American Heart Association, 67% of respondents reported that eating with others reminded them how important... Continue Reading →
January has become one of my favorite months. The frenetic pace and stress of the holidays has ended and the days are finally starting to lengthen, if just a bit. It’s also time for fresh starts. I’ve found that when I view January with a sense of possibility, it allows me to prioritize what I... Continue Reading →
On this last day of 2023, The Language of Friendship team would like to thank you for exploring friendship with us. Whether you've liked or commented on our posts, or even just quietly enjoyed them, we appreciate your companionship and look forward to continuing our journey with you. As we look ahead to 2024, we... Continue Reading →
Last weekend I flew from Chicago to Washington, DC, for a 36-hour visit with family. Some might find quick trips like this one to be stressful, but it felt restorative for me. I spent time with my mom and younger siblings, and I returned to a place that still feels like home. Although my family... Continue Reading →
When Sara and I launched this blog in early 2021, pandemic-disrupted friendships and everyday connections fueled our desire to write about the importance of friendship. Nearly three years later, life has mostly returned to ‘normal.’  While normal enables us to gather in person and hop on airplanes to celebrate milestones, normal can also be very... Continue Reading →
There are no words to capture the many emotions we've all been experiencing since learning about the savage attack on Israeli civilians by Hamas last weekend. But in processing this, I am acutely aware of the importance of supporting each other as we collectively experience this unfolding crisis with thousands of innocent lives lost throughout... Continue Reading →
If you've ever seen the opening sequence of the movie Zero Dark Thirty, then you've heard my college friend Melissa Doi's beautiful voice. I still haven't seen the movie, but I remember well the first time I heard the recording used in that movie of Melissa's actual 9-1-1 call to emergency services from the 83rd... Continue Reading →
Now that we're well into July, the heat is on and summer activities have kicked into high gear. At Language of Friendship, we've done our best to make the most of the warmer weather and get outdoors. Julia and I always look forward to this time of year and plan ahead for it. Because we... Continue Reading →
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and this year’s theme is More Than Enough. We live in a world dominated by social media showing curated lives of perfect families, love lives and job promotions. Comparing our lives to others can be damaging to our mental health, and building lives full of connection and acceptance is... Continue Reading →
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