"But somewhere between graduation and that wedding day, we'd become polite strangers who liked each other's Instagram posts and sent birthday texts that arrived a day late. That experience hit me hard. Here I was, watching someone I once considered my closest friend marry a person I'd never met, surrounded by her new circle of people who clearly knew her better than I did now."
"It made me realize something psychology has been telling us for years: The people who choose depth over breadth in their friendships aren't just introverted or picky. They're displaying some pretty remarkable psychological strengths that most of us overlook. If you're someone who'd rather have four ride-or-die friends than forty acquaintances, you might be stronger than you think. Here are nine rare strengths you're probably displaying without even realizing it."
A person attended a wedding knowing only the bride and felt estranged from a former close friend. The friendship evolved from inseparable college confidantes to polite strangers who traded Instagram likes and late birthday texts. That shift highlighted the difference between friendship breadth and depth. People who choose fewer deep friendships tend to display emotional intelligence, subtle cue recognition, and the ability to respond to others' needs without explicit requests. Research shows maintaining fewer but deeper relationships correlates with higher emotional intelligence scores. Deep friendships demand understanding fears, noticing growth patterns, and providing tailored support rather than surface-level social obligations.
Read at Silicon Canals
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