Exploring one of life's most valuable gifts
Mother’s Day is one of those holidays that elicits the range of emotions. Some people consider it a Hallmark holiday designed to pressure us into buying gifts, creating Instagram-worthy visuals and artificial moments. Others are reminded of painful losses, or relationships that never quite measured up to expectations. At the same time, those of us... Continue Reading →
I went out to dinner with three friends last Thursday evening at a nice suburban restaurant that I’ve been to many times before. The food and ambience are always lovely there. My friends and I had been planning and looking forward to this chance to get out and catch up for weeks. We’ve known each... Continue Reading →
The connections we make in the course of a life -- maybe that's what heaven is. Fred Rogers If one of your 2023 goals includes improved health and peace of mind, then prioritize friendships as part of your wellness plan. The New York Times 7-Day Happiness Challenge made that clear in its Day 1 article... Continue Reading →
You don't have be a big fan of Seinfeld to get a kick out of the show's perspective on American life in NYC, even--or especially--if you disagree with it. One of the most memorable Seinfeld episodes for me aired during the seventh season, when George was engaged to Susan. In the episode, Elaine realizes she... 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 →
Even if you've never been to summer camp, you can probably imagine how quickly bonds form when you're very young and living among your peers in tight conditions. My first sleep-away camp experience was at a YWCA camp when I was seven years old in a magical environment, located deep in the woods near the... 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 →
Looking back on the trajectory of girls’ participation in sports this Women’s History Month, we are amazed at how things have changed since Title IX was enacted 50 years ago. Sara shared in an earlier post that we were part of the first girls’ soccer team at our high school back in the 1980s, when... Continue Reading →
This weekend marks a year since we began our Language of Friendship journey. From the start, our goal has been to encourage people to pay more attention to the meaningful friendships in their lives and to nurture them with the love and care they deserve. While Language of Friendship has not exactly gone viral or... Continue Reading →
Language of Friendship 