I recently read a news item that stirred me: adults without any friends have quadrupled and, in countries such as Germany or France, about 40% of households are already single-person households.
Then I thought that I want to leave my children few, but powerful teachings that will mark them. One of them is simple: have friends. It doesn't matter so much the quantity -although maybe yes, hopefully at least five-, but laugh a lot with them.
My friends have saved me hours of therapy. They have told me truths that some people look for in the tarot (I know that many will be offended by this or will explain to me that it has nothing to do with anything, but that's what I think). They have solved my doubts -not always quickly-, but many times better than any algorithm. And, above all, they have given me something that no social network can replace: unique and shared stories.
I think about what makes me happy: a good glass of wine, commenting on the Super Bowl show, sunbathing in silence, sharing clothing information on SHEIN, getting advice when I'm troubled, going back to my childhood and remembering -with laughter- that party where no one asked me to dance. In my case, not even the best artificial intelligence (and I love it) could match the experience of living all that with a good friend. Because no prompt will be able to beat a face-to-face conversation with one of them.
They are not always connected or available. And that's okay. Real affection is like that: unconditional, but with limits; welcoming, but not complacent. Unlike any digital assistant, a friend can honestly tell you, “I don't know the answer, but I'm here for us to find it together.”.
I couldn't agree more with Helen Keller when she said, “I would rather walk with a friend in the dark than alone in the light.”
Hopefully my children will understand early on: life becomes infinitely heavier when you walk alone, and surprisingly lighter when someone takes your arm. So, more than success or certainties, the only thing I really hope for them is that they never lack a shared table, a mistimed laugh and a friend to call home.
