Many of us think that an argument or a period of silence equals the end, when actually – if dealt with effectively – it can strengthen the friendship. A key part is the ability to apologise. Being able to say ‘I’m sorry is extremely powerful.” – Clare Cohen
According, to Cohen, the pandemic has taken a toll on friendships. And she asks how do we fix our friendships? I don’t have a simple answer. But I agree that when arguments are handled effectively, they can strengthen a friendship.
There are many questionable things people (sensible people) do on social media. Some have left me dumbfounded, others have vexed me so much that I wrote about in great detail. For example, in the poem Coffee Talk, I alluded to one of those confusing behaviours.
My recently published essay, Learning To Be Rigorous With Compassion, at LIT eZine puts the above-mentioned confusing behaviour into context. But it also highlights the importance of communicating: addressing the problem and learning from our mistakes.
How have you or are healing strained friendships? I’d love to hear your thoughts.
ps. Feature image by Piotr Cichosz at Unsplash.
