You’ve heard me write–and rant (The Sanity Hour, 3/30/10)–about the importance of honest connection with friends for our happiness. Turns out that emotional well-being is not the only benefit.
Serendipitously, I discovered this relatively new blog, MWFseekingBFF, about the process of making female friends in a new city by Rachel Bertsche, an Oprah web producer in Chicago. I won’t repeat her post on the value of friendship for health–you can check it out here. My conviction to invest time in–and honestly connect with–my BFFs is strengthened once again, if doing so not only makes me happier but will extend my life while protecting me against dementia, colds, and insomnia. Rachel calls friendship “the miracle drug.” I declare that champagne and deep conversation with my girlfriends is way more fun than fish oil, curcumin, and broccoli! Bring on the book groups!
Reading your blog, I am reminded what a treasure our friendships are – though like everything worthwhile, you have to put some effort into creating them and keeping them alive and well! But the rewards are great. If you find yourself lacking in friends, find something you love and join a group. The friendships you make will be a great by-product of your involvement!
Timely post! I just spent 3 hrs talking to my BFF back home in the Caribbean -it was so wonderful as we covered everything from culinary tips, kids school, old friends and about everything else! Sadly I haven’t found too many friends here in the US that I can relate to like that. I’ll keep looking and in the mean time buy a magic jack!
I value the technology for helping keep friendship alive. My best girlfriends all live overseas but we are able to keep up with each others lives via the Internet and still chat for hours on the phone same as we did as teens.
How true. Friendships are invaluable especially when sharing interests. You don’t have to have many BFF’s but having at least one is a life saver. Doing summer theatre each year I have found, and passed on to my girls, that mostly it is futile to try to keep up with friends made during a show, occasionally you can but unless you run in the same circles it is almost impossible to find the time. Having said that, reconnecting each summer is such a spirit soarer! We get back together again as if we had never been apart and revel in each other’s company for a season and then move on.