I feel lucky. I have a number of close friends, both men and women, who are in my age range. Most often, I’m not very interesting. But I’m interested and curious about what’s going on in their worlds.
Here is one thing I’ve noticed. My good friends fall into two categories.
The first group includes friends who are quite content and happy in their own skin. They have routines that work for them. They enjoy a few pleasurable pastimes like fishing or going to baseball games or playing golf. Often, they invest time with their grandchildren.
The second group of friends appears a little more restless. They are often searching for the next big thing to bring greater meaning to their lives. It’s not that they’re less happy. But they tend to do more self-reflection and ask themselves, “What’s next for me?”
I love both groups equally. I don’t think one group has it over the other. My “vast academic background” tells me they are just made of different stuff and have successfully discovered what works for them.
By the way, I’m definitely in the second group.