What if you set out to make a new friend and gave yourself 30 days to make it happen? That’s the intriguing challenge that forms the backdrop for an article from this month’s issue of Esquire magazine where journalist Kelly Stout tries everything from taking a mommy and me swimming class to signing onto the “Bumble for Friends” app in an effort to find an “entirely new person entering my life and becoming a friend.”
Publicly declaring this goal to family and current friends is an impressive exercise in bravery and falling short (not to mention writing about it) is a form of public embarrassment most of us would be reluctant to volunteer for. But reading Stout’s journey is a perfect reminder that friendship, whether new or old, takes effort and intention.
My version of that is reaching out to people while traveling to try and use my visit as an excuse to bring people together. Sometimes my requests get missed or ignored, but just as often I get a surprising yes and reconnect with someone I hadn’t seen for years. Or introduce two people who live in the same city to one another. What I’ve realized after doing this regularly for the past few years is that people are genuinely grateful for the invitation. I love getting invitations like that too. Even if a gathering doesn’t end up happening, it’s always nice to know someone still wants to get together and share a drink.
