The Year of Friendship & Love: What Really Matters as We Move Forward

By Diane Landsberg

The New Year is here! (Where did 2025 go?) As we look ahead, let’s focus this year on friendship and love—a guarantee that you will be happier and, in turn, spread happiness to others. I suggest making a list of those who are special to you and planning how you will express your appreciation for them. Love and friendship are what bind us together and help shape our identity—who we are and who we become.

As an infant grows over the months, they discover love for Mom, Dad, and siblings. This love is shared through smiles and joyful reactions whenever they see them—just recall how that makes you feel. Love is a complex emotion and reminds us why we are not meant to live alone. It invites us to share our lives and blend our hopes and dreams, which only deepen with time. My role models were my grandparents, who were married for over sixty-five years. They always held hands while walking and kissed each other before bed every night.

One of the purest forms of love comes from chosen connections—friendship. Friendship can survive geography when someone moves away or time when life’s obligations create distance. I have friends from college (not revealing how many years ago!) whose relationships were built on acceptance and mutual admiration. Yet we always “pick up where we left off” whenever we reconnect. True friends stand beside you with no expectations. They provide calm when you are freaking out, offer advice only when asked (without judgment), and always celebrate your successes and happy moments.

The “6 Cs of Friendship” are not a single word, but a core foundation: Communication, Commitment, Compassion, Consistency, Compromise, and Connection. Think of the few friends who truly fulfill this list—they are your true friends. And if you are really blessed, your spouse is also your best friend.

Let’s make 2026 the year of honoring and acknowledging our friends and loved ones.Who comes to mind first?