Exploring one of life's most valuable gifts
Any time of year is a perfect time of year to savor friendships, but the holiday season offers a wealth of opportunities to create memories together with friends. Recognizing that schedules can be challenging to coordinate as the holidays approach, this week we share a variety of ideas for honoring friendships this season. Â 1.... Continue Reading →
While November signals the start of the holiday season for most people, here at Language of Friendship, we tend to think of November as birthday season. Sara shared last year that our LOF editorial team, and even her dog Winnie, all have birthdays within the same week! And despite how busy life gets, birthdays provide... 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 →
There are no words to capture the many emotions we've all been experiencing since learning about the savage attack on Israeli civilians by Hamas last weekend. But in processing this, I am acutely aware of the importance of supporting each other as we collectively experience this unfolding crisis with thousands of innocent lives lost throughout... Continue Reading →
Fall’s arrival in Chicago is accompanied by many traditions. It’s a time to buy fresh apples from Michigan and watch the Chicago Cubs struggle to make the playoffs. One of my favorite fall traditions is cheering on the thousands of runners at the Chicago Marathon. This October marks the 46th running of the Chicago... 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 →
Can you consider a person you’ve never met to be a friend? I love to read memoirs, and I’ve encountered authors over the years who write in a way that makes me feel like I know them. At times, their words and experiences have resonated with me so deeply that I almost feel they could... 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 →
I love music. All kinds of music. To the point that I am sometimes teased for how inconsistent my musical tastes are. I’m happy to listen to many genres, as they are meaningful in different ways. I’ll listen to the Oppenheimer soundtrack in the car with my older son, then arrive home to hear my... Continue Reading →
Growing up, I was an ardent baseball fan. My mom’s family were diehard Red Sox fans and my dad followed the Chicago Cubs. So, when it was time to trade in my Cubs bleacher seats for folding chairs at Little League games, I was ready. My younger son Will discovered a passion for playing baseball... Continue Reading →
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