Exploring one of life's most valuable gifts
The start of a new year is the perfect time to reflect on the relationships that matter most to us. Friendships are critical to our lives, providing support, joy, and a sense of belonging. However, during the busy months leading up to the new year, it's easy to let some connections slip. As we shared... Continue Reading →
Somehow it's that time of year again when the days get short and the parties get long! However you choose to celebrate the holidays, we hope that the season is filled with friendship, connection and love. All of us at the Language of Friendship wish you a very happy holiday season and new year filled... Continue Reading →
Believe it or not, this post marks the 200th time that Julia and I have collaborated on a topic related to friendship to share with you! What started during the Covid-19 pandemic as a way to stay connected has turned into an enduring project that continues to bind us as friends and build community. It... 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 →
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 →
Ben Affleck and Matt Damon were among the famous friends on our radar when Julia and I first started brainstorming ideas for the Language of Friendship back in 2021. We found their story interesting because these two high school buddies have remained friends personally and collaborators professionally over the decades, despite their fame. We also... Continue Reading →
Father’s Day is this weekend, an annual celebration of the dads and father figures who shape our lives. There are many ways to recognize the everyday heroes who quietly helped raise us, and then guide us through adulthood. For me and Sara, we’ve shared in our writing the impact our own dads have on our... Continue Reading →
Women's sports are having a moment. Along with over 14 million people, I witnessed Iowa’s victory over UConn in the recent Women's NCAA Final Four tournament. It was the most-watched women’s basketball game of all time and the largest audience ever for an ESPN basketball broadcast. As the daughter of a proud Iowa alum, it... Continue Reading →
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 →
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