This was a good episode and I enjoyed the re-definition of what friendships are and can be. We all have seasons in life where friends take a back seat, but I also believe that like a romantic relationship they need to be cultivated. I listened to "The Other Significant Others" and it made so much sense on how for some of us our friends m…
This was a good episode and I enjoyed the re-definition of what friendships are and can be. We all have seasons in life where friends take a back seat, but I also believe that like a romantic relationship they need to be cultivated. I listened to "The Other Significant Others" and it made so much sense on how for some of us our friends might be the ones for us in our "golden years". With how many women are choosing to stay single and childless or the real reality that women outlive their partners and you can't guarantee that your kids will be able to take care of you, having friends you can count on is very important. The book also referenced how seismic a friendship break up can actually be and the deep feelings that go along with that. About 8 yrs ago, I had to make the decision to end a 24 yr friendship (since freshman year in high school), a line was crossed and I just couldn't accept it. It was very traumatic and something I thought about a long time because we had been through a lot together and she was/is a good person, but morally I couldn't continue the friendship. I am grieving the loss of another friend who passes away last February....for 20 yrs she was my person. She was 20 yrs older than me, but we were kindred spirits and she was a friend and mentor. To say I was shattered (still am) is an understatement. I still sometimes start to reach out and then remember she isn't here. I have other friends, but I am very selective and careful of who I let in (been burned in the past) and my circle is small. I know a lot of people, but wouldn't count them as friends. The fact that a lot of people are and have been rethinking and even cutting people out of their lives based on values, it will be interesting how friendship making evolves into and how we help our kids navigate it along with ourselves.
This was a good episode and I enjoyed the re-definition of what friendships are and can be. We all have seasons in life where friends take a back seat, but I also believe that like a romantic relationship they need to be cultivated. I listened to "The Other Significant Others" and it made so much sense on how for some of us our friends might be the ones for us in our "golden years". With how many women are choosing to stay single and childless or the real reality that women outlive their partners and you can't guarantee that your kids will be able to take care of you, having friends you can count on is very important. The book also referenced how seismic a friendship break up can actually be and the deep feelings that go along with that. About 8 yrs ago, I had to make the decision to end a 24 yr friendship (since freshman year in high school), a line was crossed and I just couldn't accept it. It was very traumatic and something I thought about a long time because we had been through a lot together and she was/is a good person, but morally I couldn't continue the friendship. I am grieving the loss of another friend who passes away last February....for 20 yrs she was my person. She was 20 yrs older than me, but we were kindred spirits and she was a friend and mentor. To say I was shattered (still am) is an understatement. I still sometimes start to reach out and then remember she isn't here. I have other friends, but I am very selective and careful of who I let in (been burned in the past) and my circle is small. I know a lot of people, but wouldn't count them as friends. The fact that a lot of people are and have been rethinking and even cutting people out of their lives based on values, it will be interesting how friendship making evolves into and how we help our kids navigate it along with ourselves.