Guest post alert: This week, my sister Liz Witherspoon shares memories of a friendship between our mom and uncle that has inspired the next generation of cousins to form tight bonds of their own. As the wheels touch down in Buenos Aires, my phone pings with Whatsapp pictures and messages from my cousins and sister... Continue Reading →
Charitable Giving Simplified
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 →
Finding Your Own Blue Zone
I had been living in Glenview, IL, for more than a decade when I began noticing a group of about 6-8 men, likely retirees, gathering together outside my local Starbucks every morning. Even during the pandemic, when almost all group activities had either ground to a halt or shifted to zoom, these guys were sitting... Continue Reading →
Mom Friendships
The teaching profession, matching wedding invitations, and motherhood were the elements that connected my mom to one of the most meaningful friendships of her life that has impacted the next two generations. In her late 20s, my mom had spent a summer with her brother and his new wife in Washington, DC, where she met... Continue Reading →
📚Hanging Out
“Adulthood is too serious. I miss stupid. I need stupid. Being stupid with your friends is guaranteed happiness.” Billy Baker Reaching out to friends is a central theme of Billy Baker’s 2021 book, We Need to Hang Out. Baker is a Boston Globe staff writer who was asked by his editor a few years ago to... Continue Reading →
Happy Anniversary!
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 →
Our Story: Part 4
"Don't just count your years, make your years count." - George Meredith I found myself back in Kentucky for the holidays in December 1992 after nearly a year living in Germany. While it was nice to enjoy the comforts of home, eat mall food and be served free glasses of water in restaurants, I was... Continue Reading →