There’s some consensus out there that it’s hard to make new friends in your sixties: friendships have already been established and family responsibilities are legion. However, if new activities and an open mind invite a new friendship or two, the experience can be a rich one. Here’s a golden opportunity to share the best version of yourself and your past. In the telling, some of your early pratfall and failed relationships can be mined for lessons learned. The evil twins of your past can take on a benign cast.

The key is to share some common goals. New friends in your sixties may be walking buddies, yoga buddies, book buddies, shopping buddies, card-playing buddies,  sharing stuff about families buddies, or even internet buddies, but they must also be learning and growing buddies.  While you must have some core commonalities, new friends should take you to a “place” you haven’t been before, sharing  new perspectives, and you should be able to do the same thing for them. New friends also get bonus points for making you smile and helping you take the long view of your troubles.

Categories: observations