Women Rowing North: Navigating Life's Currents and Flourishing As We Age

Chapter 14 highlights the importance of female friends in old age. It describes a story about Emma, who went camping with friends during a summer solstice. One friend shared her lupus diagnosis and husband’s cancer diagnosis, so the other women created a healing ceremony to help her deal with her emotions.

Pipher claims that women have always worked together and excel at discussing their problems and providing empathy. She notes that society does not teach people about the importance of friends, especially when aging, but that friends provide comfort and care. She offers an anecdote about her friend Betty, who helped Pipher during her mother’s death, as well as an anecdote about Carrie, whose friends helped her get through her husband’s death and learn resilience. Carrie also invited a friend to move in with her, strengthening her social connections.

Pipher describes ways to keep friendships exciting by bringing new people into one’s circle, doing new things, and having new discussions. As an example, Pipher and her friend Marge attend a museum once a month and discuss what they see. Friends can also bring people together and connect each other, such as when Betty hosts parties that bring the neighborhood together.