Point taken: How friends 'make up the fabric' of our lives

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Americans are spending significantly less time with friends than they did a decade ago.

According to the Census Bureau’s 2021 American Time Use Survey, time spent with friends is down by more than 50%.

On Point listeners tell us of their efforts and struggles to maintain friendships.

Jackie Schwartz, upstate NY

Jackie says despite Americans' declining social interaction, she has been able to spend more time with friends.

I spend as much time with friends as I ever have. And I think part of the reason is I'm not on any social media. So, if I want to connect with people, I have to see them or talk to them on the phone. The only time I really text people is to set up dates or to communicate with friends who live too far away for me to get together with them.

Cale Lively, Spokane, WA

Cale says he spends less time with friends now that he has kids and is focused on his career.

A lot of my really good friends have left the area of where I live for more opportunities, or they moved just outside of town or to another city. And so I just don't have the opportunity to see them as often because they are further outside of town and it's just hard to get together.

Torri

Torri moved several states away due to an abusive relationship. She shares how moving away from her loved ones has impacted her mental health:

I was in an abusive relationship and the only way to leave was to move several states away. And in doing so, I effectively severed my support system. And honestly, I had no idea how much I relied on my friends for comfort, validation. Just even venting and telling them about my day. And without that, I have become pretty isolated.

Lionel Bella, West Boylston, MA

Lionel in Massachusetts says the small moments and interactions we have with each other are more important than we might often think.

We often overlook any relationship, whether it be small or big. And we don't realize that some of the small ones that make up the fabric of our daily lives, whether it's someone at the grocery store or the baker librarian, an old friend that you bump into just collectively, they create this fabric force that we kind of depend on. And when we don't maintain those relationships, it's literally and figuratively like a hole in our fabric.

Jim Tielebein, Cedar Falls, IA

Finally, we asked listeners to share their favorite songs about friendship in the On Point VoxPop app. Here's what listener Jim's favorite is:

My favorite song about friendship is We Walk the Same Line. It's by the group Everything But The Girl. It's a song of empathy. It's a song of feeling what your friend feels. And it's a song of being there for them and letting them know that they're not alone.

You can find our Spotify playlist from the show here.