Ever Thanked a Friend for Being a Lifesaver? You Were More Dead-On Than You Thought.

Friends are more than our confidantes. They are critical to a life well AND long-lived.

Photo by Helena Lopes on Unsplash

“A true friend is someone who thinks that you are a good egg even though he knows that you are slightly cracked.”

– Bernard Meltzer

Let’s be honest. When asked who you would be stranded with on a deserted island most of us would choose our best friend.

That’s not an idle statement, either. Mounting evidence is proving that friendships help us thrive and survive.

And it would seem the pandemic of 2020 has clarified that importance.

While 42% of the US population used social media to stay connected during COVID-19, the feeling of loneliness did not increase despite social distancing and stay-at-home mandates.

Why?

Because during times of high stress humans need that interaction even if it means going virtual instead of face-to-face.

Enter the new popularity of Zoom and Hang Outs for virtual time with your buds and fam.

That’s how vital and instinctive is our need for social connection.

“A true friend never gets in your way unless you happen to be going down.”

– Arnold H. Glasgow

In her book, Friendship: The Evolution, Biology, and Extraordinary Power of Life’s Fundamental Bond, author and science journalist Lydia Denworth investigates the importance of friendships in our evolution as people and a community.

In fact, in a recent interview on NPR, Denworth touched on how friendships improve our health and wellness and are critical to our development.

And while most of us realize how important our friends are, being busy nurturing our career with (obscene) hours and (lovingly) handling the craziness of raising a family, friends sometimes get pushed to the backburner.