I have friends who are older than me and friends who are much younger. I love cross-generational friendships.

Friends around my own age are good, too; they can often relate to what I’m experiencing. But friends of varying ages challenge me with their wisdom, curiosity, energy, experiences, questions, and more. A broader perspective can be oddly clarifying. Sometimes perspectives clash but, more often, they complement.

Being sifted isn’t comfortable much of the time, yet I have lived long enough to appreciate and welcome it. Fostering relationships with people of varying ages and life stages has opened my life to sifting. The questions people ask are often difficult to answer. Conflicts are challenging. Struggles are humbling. But it is mostly purifying.

I grow because of my friends of all ages. And I help them grow. We smile, laugh, cry, doubt, and explore life side by side.

Generation gaps can be bridged. Begin to build today.,