A very interesting discussion, Rodrigo. I was going to write about friendships too. I think like any other relationship in life, friendships need to be nurtured and cared for. Although there may be a general ease with which we form friendships based on common interests or aligned on certain viewpoints, there needs to be effort that goes into maintaining these relationships- IF they bring the joy to your life.

Some of my best friends are the ones who went to high school with me in India. We live in different continents but continue to stay in touch and meet up every few years. With the pandemic, we started a Sunday video call and those of us who are free join the call.

I love the use of the phrase, the weight of our differences. For me, I’ve had to distance myself from some relationships that didn’t serve a good purpose. These were ones that were filled with negativity, too toxic and no good for my mental health. In most cases, we can’t choose family but we have the power to choose our friends. We can control the kind of people we wish to surround yourselves with….to thrive and not just survive. Once we find ways to thrive in an environment, we can ensure we actively work on nourishing our friendships.