People In Their 30s And 40s Are Getting Real About Feeling Lonely, And Why It’s So Hard To Make Friends

7.

“Being in your late 30s is hard for a lot of people. As an enlightened 41-year-old, I can tell you that when I hit those last few years of my 30s, I attended more weddings than I ever did and probably ever will again. People don’t want to grow old alone, and I think the late 30s is a very introspective time for a lot of people, knowing the big 4-0 is right around the corner. The bummer is that it doesn’t get better. The people doing their own thing continue to do their own thing. I also think people stop identifying completely with their friend groups, so you see long-standing groups break up, except for the rare get-together. You tend to really see people buckle down into their hobbies and what they like to do at this age.”

“Even more than that, I find that the couples without kids know they really enjoy each other’s company, so they’re glued together for football, concerts, and vacations. The people with kids are stuck for that first 10 years being parents and being run ragged.”

I don’t have any great advice other than to say that the people who helped my wife and me get through all of this were the same as we are — kidless, with similar income and hobbies — so that we always had an excuse to hang out with each other.”

—u/AttachedHeartTheory