I'm now living in two different NEW locations, seasonally. I didn't expect the kind of intimacy with a deep friendship that you describe. Still, I'm surprised and very gratified by the new people I have met. It all seems to be about being open and believing that they also want connection. So, without being intentional about it, I have connected with people in my condo building, the Jewish community, the food pantry where I help out and the writing groups I participate in. I like the idea of "connecting" better than the idea of "making friends." Connections may be brief but deeply touching and don't feel pressured.
Spot on.living abroad for the past 60 years I’ve always made friends easily, no time to waste . It’s up to us ( the newcomers) to make the first move .
Friends are essential, especially for solo agers. When I moved into a huge urban apartment complex 30+ years ago, I made friends quickly with the other dog walkers, by striking up conversations in the elevator, and in the laundry room. Seeing the same faces regularly builds up familiarity, then trust, hopefully a friendship. I'm grateful so many of those early-made relationships have thrived to this day.
Moving to a new place can mean never making old friends again. But why not reconnect with old friends? I've done both. Such reconnecting is giving new life to old relationships. And is profoundly gratifying!
How much I liked this article, we all feel this and this wording was fantastic. I think that friend is one of the most important things in life. Circumstances change, but best friend is constant.
"Hence (if you will not misunderstand me) the exquisite arbitrariness and irresponsibility of this love. I have no duty to be anyone's Friend and no man in the world has a duty to be mine. No claims, no shadow of necessity. Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art, like the universe itself (for God did not need to create). It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things which give value to survival." — C.S. Lewis
This is so true. My husband and I moved to Naples, Fl. two years ago and making new, good friends has been difficult but it's finally starting to happen -- for him. With my situation, well I'm not there to make friends right now, but I'm so happy he's developing friendships. I think men find it more difficult or maybe it's that they just approach friendship differently than women do. What do you think?
Ermira, that's a fabulous quotation! Thanks for offering it up .
I'm now living in two different NEW locations, seasonally. I didn't expect the kind of intimacy with a deep friendship that you describe. Still, I'm surprised and very gratified by the new people I have met. It all seems to be about being open and believing that they also want connection. So, without being intentional about it, I have connected with people in my condo building, the Jewish community, the food pantry where I help out and the writing groups I participate in. I like the idea of "connecting" better than the idea of "making friends." Connections may be brief but deeply touching and don't feel pressured.
Spot on.living abroad for the past 60 years I’ve always made friends easily, no time to waste . It’s up to us ( the newcomers) to make the first move .
Friends are essential, especially for solo agers. When I moved into a huge urban apartment complex 30+ years ago, I made friends quickly with the other dog walkers, by striking up conversations in the elevator, and in the laundry room. Seeing the same faces regularly builds up familiarity, then trust, hopefully a friendship. I'm grateful so many of those early-made relationships have thrived to this day.
Moving to a new place can mean never making old friends again. But why not reconnect with old friends? I've done both. Such reconnecting is giving new life to old relationships. And is profoundly gratifying!
How much I liked this article, we all feel this and this wording was fantastic. I think that friend is one of the most important things in life. Circumstances change, but best friend is constant.
"Hence (if you will not misunderstand me) the exquisite arbitrariness and irresponsibility of this love. I have no duty to be anyone's Friend and no man in the world has a duty to be mine. No claims, no shadow of necessity. Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art, like the universe itself (for God did not need to create). It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things which give value to survival." — C.S. Lewis
This is so true. My husband and I moved to Naples, Fl. two years ago and making new, good friends has been difficult but it's finally starting to happen -- for him. With my situation, well I'm not there to make friends right now, but I'm so happy he's developing friendships. I think men find it more difficult or maybe it's that they just approach friendship differently than women do. What do you think?
A good testimonial. Thanks, Wendl!
I think men find it difficult to take friendship beyond the superficial pleasantries because we are not as comfortable revealing our vulnerabilities.