BIG FRIENDSHIP by Aminatou Sow & Ann Friedman

It’s impossible to read this absolute page turner without finding pieces of your own friendships reflected in it. It definitely made me think of mine and how to better navigate the many ups & downs of a long-standing friendship with more warmth and understanding.
What truly makes this read so intimate is the authors’ experience of having built, maintained, neglected and recovered their own friendship over the course of 11 years.
We always talk about the importance of romantic relationships even through friendships also have the potential of bringing just as much joy and fulfillment if only we dare to do the work behind it.
Finding the right language and approach to deal with the more difficult parts such as, the frustration of giving more to a friend than you’re getting back or the dynamic of pushing each other away even when trying to reconnect, it's a process worth going through to enjoy a long lasting and resilient friendship.

“Friendship is a real-deal insurance policy against the hurricanes of life—and there’s social-science evidence that the hard stuff seems less difficult with a good friend by your side.”

“As humans, we are all thoroughly shaped by the people we know and love. Day to day, our friends influence our tastes and our moods. Long term, they can also affect how we feel about our bodies, how we spend our money, and the political views we hold. We grow in response to each other, in ways both intentional and subconscious.”