Social Connection: Part 2

“True friendship withstands time, distance, and silence.” ~Isabel Allende

In yesterday’s post, I shared a medical doctor’s advice on maintaining healthy social connections. These days, everyone is busy and overbooked, whether we’re talking about work and family obligations, community groups, social commitments, or medical appointments. When we’re overwhelmed or exhausted by the dates on our calendars (or whatever life is throwing at us) we might neglect our friendships. I’m guilty as charged, and I don’t always practice what I preach.

As much as I believe in initiating contact with others, there have been times when I’ve needed to repair my spirit and spend time alone. That’s one of the hard lessons I learned after taking care of my mother in her last years.

All said and done, the healthiest thing we can do is aim for a balance between social time and solitude. Our best and oldest friends understand the ebb and flow of true friendship, as Isabel Allende reminds us in today’s quote. ~CL