Finding new Friends in 2026 : Friendship Feature Published Jan 2026
Finding Friendship: Your 2025 Resolution Recently I wrote a feature about the quiet epidemic of ghosting in long-term friendships and shared my own story of being cut off by someone I considered a close friend for over thirty years. The response was overwhelming. Almost everyone has a ghosting story, whether it's a sudden cut-off or the softer 'Caspering,' where texts simply slow to nothing. But as we step into 2026, none of us want to dwell on friendship endings, because there's another story emerging: more of us are actively pushing back and trying new ways to make and keep friends, often outside the conventional channels. The first instinct after losing a friend is often withdrawal. I hear it constantly, and I've said it myself: "More dogs, less humans." Animals are loyal, uncomplicated, and reliably present. They don't ghost and rarely disappoint us. But as fantastic as pets are, they can't replace the growth that comes from human connection ...
