Exploring one of life's most valuable gifts
In honor of this final day of Women’s History Month in 2024, I would like to share more of our friendship history; a history of two women that spans more than four decades and relocations to new states and a different country. People are sometimes surprised that the friendship between me and Sara has not... Continue Reading →
When life gets busy, it can be hard to pause and find joy in the small things. It’s easy to assume that something new will bring us happiness, but as Sara wrote in an earlier post, more stuff doesn’t lead to happiness or fulfillment. And we’ve all experienced how the glow that comes from a... Continue Reading →
One of my favorite holiday traditions in Chicago is visiting the Christmas Around the World and Holiday of Lights exhibit at the Museum of Science and Industry. When my boys were young, we’d bring them to see the dozens of Christmas trees decorated to represent cultures around the world. While we loved seeing all of the trees, we’d... 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 →
Although reading is inherently a solitary activity, books can provide a strong foundation for conversation and connection with others. In one of LOF's earliest posts, I wrote about my own experience with a local book group. I also enjoyed facilitating a book group with a few other parents for my son and some of his... Continue Reading →
My favorite two board games when I was a kid were Battleship and Clue. I’d play either one with anyone who was willing to join me. Both games encouraged not only logical reasoning skills, but they also involved imagination and conversation among players. As a parent, I taught my kids to play Battleship and Clue.... Continue Reading →
By all accounts Monday, February 6th was shaping up to be a pretty good day. The temperature had warmed a bit over the weekend and most of the snow and ice had melted. By then, I was several months into a new routine, regularly commuting by train to Chicago for an interim university job. On... Continue Reading →
In the depths of winter when it's cold and dark, I sometimes find it hard to motivate myself to go out and spend time with friends. If I'm being honest, even if a potential activity is something I love to do with someone, I often feel like just staying home in my sweatpants and watching... 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 →
With gift-giving top of mind this time of year, the pressure to find the perfect gift for a friend, family member or colleague can be overwhelming. Last year around this time, Sara suggested some inspired gift ideas. One idea from that list I'd like to revisit is giving to a charitable cause. Research clearly shows... Continue Reading →
Language of Friendship 