Exploring one of life's most valuable gifts
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 →
What does a research study that began 85 years ago tell us about living a ‘good life?’ Apparently, quite a lot. The Harvard Study of Adult Development (HSAD or the Study), a longitudinal research study that began in 1938 and tracked more than 700 individuals for over eight decades, was structured with singular goal in... Continue Reading →
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 →
As a child in the 1970s, the anti-smoking advertising and public health messages in school and on TV made a lasting impression on me. I recall stories of classmates lecturing their parents on the dangers of smoking and even flushing cigarettes down the toilet. This was a decade before the health impact of second-hand smoke... Continue Reading →
Lately I’ve been experiencing an emotion I was introduced to early last year when I read about it in famed vulnerability researcher Brene Brown’s helpful book, Atlas of the Heart, which Julia and I both wrote about in separate posts. The emotion is called Freudenfreude, and it’s a mouthful, but really it’s just the feeling... Continue Reading →
As we approach the mid-point of Women’s History Month 2023, LOF would like to celebrate the innumerable women-identifying writers, artists, activists and others who are telling our stories while making history. Stories can be shared in a variety of ways, through narrative, art or music, as well as through the many important organizations that help... Continue Reading →
About two years ago, this blog featuring stories of friendship was born amidst a time of loss and isolation. In early 2021, vaccines were slowly being rolled out, but the many pandemic-related losses were still raw. Our children missed important milestones at school and our work lives were disrupted by the uncertainty and financial impact... Continue Reading →
As we look toward the holidays, our focus often shifts to reconnecting with longtime friends and family. This holiday season, I challenge you to also remember to focus on the day-to-day connections that sometimes get overlooked or underappreciated, but can really make a difference in your own life or to someone else’s. What do I... Continue Reading →
This summer has felt a little less relaxing than most for me, and I don't think I'm alone in that feeling. After a few years of a slower pace and minimal crowds because of the pandemic, The Washington Post has called this summer “the busiest travel season in a generation." It's been great to see... Continue Reading →
When a neighborhood acquaintance invited me to join a book group 20 years ago, I was skeptical. I was incredibly busy with my job and a new baby. Also, as a writer, I'm very picky about my reading list. I had zero interest in mixing books with gossip, wine and frivolous banter. Maybe it's nerdy,... Continue Reading →
Language of Friendship 