You know, in the mid-70s, we went on an average of five picnics a year with our neighbors.

Oh my.

And that was down to two by the mid-90s.

So bring back picnics.

Oh my God.

Bring back picnics, you know.

I mean, I did just have a picnic the other day, Julie.

But the hard thing feels like getting everyone to talk at the picnic.

I saw I surveyed the other day that said like more than half of American adults say

that they've been finding it harder to build relationships.

So I think something's just up in our society where people are struggling to find the sense of community that they want.

It really is something you have to focus on daily.

It doesn't actually come naturally.

We can choose what resonates with us.

And my choice is I want to value again, friends, as much as a potential spouse.

And because so much of our society is oriented around romantic relationships and nuclear families,

it can be hard to know how to build support systems outside of those.

Do you find it easier to make the chitchat with the bus driver than to make a friend?

Making a friend is like a real energetic investment.

I can't explain like I want to make a friend, but I only want to make like one friend.

Like I don't want just one million friends.

Like the individualism that's so central to American culture can make it hard for people to make the deep connections that they want.

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