The Power of a Circle: How Friend Groups Help Us Thrive

Written by our Founder and Chairman, the Celebrations Pulse letters aim to engage with our community. By welcoming your ideas and sharing your stories, we want to help you strengthen your relationships with the most important people in your life.

Among all my friends, there’s a group of 10 who’ve been part of my life for nearly 20 years. What started as just a bunch of middle-aged guys with a shared passion for baseball has turned into something much deeper: We've become each other's anchor in a fast-changing world.

We've been through business ups and downs, family weddings and funerals, and all the chaos that comes with life (including some very difficult Mets seasons). Even though we’re now in our 70s, 80s, and 90s (and still working!), our bond keeps getting stronger.

Regardless of how much time passes, I’m always amazed at how easily we fall back into rhythm each time we meet. Every time we get together, someone shares something about their family or just what’s been weighing on them. We just show up exactly as we are and listen to what everyone has to say.

In a time when so many relationships feel temporary and loneliness is an epidemic, we've proven that some friendships can grow. I can't help but feel grateful for this circle of friends. More than acquaintances, they're a reminder that none of us were meant to figure out life alone.

What friendship really means

As Friendship Month winds down, it’s a great time to reflect on your own social circles. If you have a group like mine, cherish it. If not, consider creating one. It doesn’t have to be a grand production. Whether it’s monthly dinners or even just a standing group chat, the key is consistency.

It can start as simply as one person reaching out.

Take Bridget, a community member and friend. After moving three times in five years and navigating the chaos of raising three young kids, she found herself in a new town feeling something was missing. On paper, everything looked great with a supportive husband, beautiful home, and full schedule. But she craved a deeper friendship with other women.

So, she started a dinner club, bringing together a handful of acquaintances she made in her new town of Glenview, Illinois. It was nothing elaborate. Just an invitation to 10 women who agreed to gather around a table and show up as their genuine selves.

Within a few weeks, the spark caught fire. And nearly two years later, the Glenview Dinner Club has become a lifeline whose members support each other through career changes, family hardships, and everyday burnout. They've helped each other edit résumés, cooked meals for one another during hard times, and been the first ones to drop everything when someone says, “I’ve had a day.”

The story shows how just one person turned a casual get-together into something much deeper. As Kristen, one of the members, recalls:

“None of us realized just how much we needed it. In a season of life where so much of our energy goes toward caring for others, we found something rare in each other … deep connection, the most laughs, and unwavering support.”

An antidote to loneliness

We talk a lot about loneliness for good reason: It’s everywhere. But what we don’t recognize is that friend groups might be our best defense. They work like a web: If one thread weakens, the others hold. When life throws curveballs, there’s someone there to catch you.

Science backs it up. People with strong social networks tend to live longer, recover faster, and experience greater well-being. But even if there weren’t studies to prove it, we all know what it feels like to be truly known and supported by a group that understands you.

Here's the beautiful thing about making room for these deeper connections: When you invest in your friendship circle, everyone benefits. It's not just about what you get out of it, but about creating something bigger than any one person.

All the best,
Jim