Photo: Cottonbro Studio | Pexels
Cross-generational friendship, where the age gap can be 40-50 years, generates an exchange of perspectives and life experiences. While society tends to segregate groups by age, intergenerational connections can be an antidote to social isolation and ageism, and may also help to boost life satisfaction and learning. For example, 83 year old Rosalyn and 43 year old Omid, two Mets fans who bonded over exercise and both having lost loved ones to suicide, feel a connection that is enriching and life-affirming. There is an unexpected joy in connecting with someone much older or younger who can open one up to new experiences. Intergenerational friends don’t dwell on their differences, including their age gap. “The age is just kind of one dimension of it that adds color and flavor to it, but we would be friends regardless.”
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