Friendships

“Social Connectivity” is science-language for a simple and obvious experience, that of connecting with others. We humans are, like it or not, fundamentally social creatures. Even introverts, such as myself, need to interact with others…

Loneliness is associated with early mortality. Loneliness is not about feeling isolated socially; it is a deep feeling of being alone in the world. Some have described our modern-day situation as an “epidemic of loneliness…

I work a few days a week as a professional chef and, at 66, I am the same age as many of my young co-workers’ grandmothers. It’s challenging sometimes, but mostly it’s fun, invigorating and keeps me feeling and acting younger…

A few years ago I had a long term friendship come to an end. Four decades of love, laughter and jokes, gone. I felt as though someone had removed a part of my heart. However, that experience both taught me important life lessons…

Most female friendships start in college and during the early years of marriage. Some women are fortunate and develop long-lasting friendships in high school or as far back as childhood. I was not one of those lucky women. I have always been perplexed…

I’ll bet you’ve heard this plea a number of times in your life. In fact, I bet that you’ve heard it recently, even though you are in the “senior” part of your life. Of course, not everyone uses these exact words. But, have you heard something close to one…

Friendship, while as unique as its individual participants, usually includes the elements of love, kindness, humor, flexibility, reciprocity, and compromise. Since these are common elements of any good relationship, how does friendship differ?

I stopped looking for “my community” years ago, trying to fit in somewhere when one, I didn’t, and two, I really just wanted to be on my own most of the time. In the process of doing so, I started being true to myself. Me, for the first time ever…

Quality relationships and having fun with friends can make us happier and reduce stress. A good friend to talk to helps us cope with traumatic events. People with good support networks are physically healthier too, having lower blood pressure and less…

Have you ever taken a holiday with close girlfriends? I’ve read and heard stories about these kinds of shared-dream holidays that have gone spectacularly wrong. Disagreements emerged at every turn: where and what to eat…