I can’t remember which thread has this a a sub-topic, but when I listened to this I immediately thought of cc. Enjoy! Intentionality is the most important takeaway, IMO.
2 Likes
I didn’t watch the entire thing. I think we lose friends as we get older for lots of reasons. The main one for me, was losing the mothers of my daughter’s classmates as my friends when my daughter graduated high school. Once I reflected on this loss, I realized that the only things we had in common were our children and that they were never really “good” friends for me.
I joined a book club when my daughter was in HS and realized a couple of things. One is that you can still make true friends as you age, and two is that you can truly connect with people without having something like children of the same age to bond you.
When I moved from the town where I had raised my daughter to someplace 4 states away, I was worried about making friends. I found my tribe by attending programs at my local library. I learned another important lesson - you can have friends of all ages. I have befriended women who are younger than my own daughter and some almost as old as my father.
Finally, there are those friends forever. People you may not see or communicate with often, but whom you step into place when you do see them like it hasn’t been years. I have a few childhood friends that fall in this category and a group of women whom I had a playgroup with from when my daughter was born (31 years ago).
I think that finding and maintaining friendships can be work (I am that person who is always coordinating get togethers or else they won’t happen). However, the value of social connections as we age is very important.
9 Likes
I love Michelle Obama. I wish she were my adult friend.
10 Likes
I don’t have any female friends in my life that I call or get together with regularly, and I don’t want that. When the child-rearing years were over, we drifted away from the neighborhood family relationships forged during our son’s elementary and middle school years and eventually moved to a new community prior to retiring. We did not take any of those relationships with us, and I must say I was relieved not to.
I have a couple of women in my life who I could call at a moment’s notice if I needed to, but I don’t call, write, or visit them with any regularity nor they with me. We all just pick up where we left off when we do happen to get together and that’s enough for me.
I’m well aware of the touted health benefits of close friendships but, like fruit and certain veggies, I’ll pass.
4 Likes
And as long as you are happy and life satisfied then that is the right recipe for you!
I’m much the same. Know people, am neighborly, but don’t have a cadre of peeps near or far.
3 Likes
It’s an individual thing. Some people enjoy having lots of friends and others do not. My female friendships have always been an important part of my life and I enjoy people individually but also like being part of a group.
Michelle Obama does seem like a deep and wonderful friend. She’s a very strong woman and done an amazing job, handing some very challenging times with grace and humor. Wonderful podcast—thanks for introducing me to the series! Michelle and her brother are very entertaining hosts!
5 Likes
I posted because of the theme of friendship in later years that pops up here regularly, but, yes, this podcast is great. I especially liked the episodes with Jonathan Haidt, Tracee Ellis Ross, the Boss and Angie Martinez, who I didn’t know before the podcast. Craig and Michelle’s upbringing was much like mine so when they discus their childhood it resonates with me.
I can still recall the day I met one of my dearest friends. It was the late 1970’s, and we hit it off immediately. We were just starting college, and we were thrilled to have each other as we navigated the social and academic challenges of school. My now-H was friends with her, too, and we liked the guy she eventually married. Her H’s job took them all over the world, but we’ve stayed friends. If I was to meet someone now that I hit if off with like that, I would be thrilled … but that may not happen again in my lifetime, and I’m fine with that. Most of my friends, with the exception of a few, have been situational. They come and go with the seasons of my life.
4 Likes