I recently attended a men’s retreat where the speaker walked us through the deep questions men wrestle with in different decades of life. From the identity-searching 20s to the responsibility-packed 30s, and into the later decades where many men realize they've lost close friendships—they all carry critical lessons for us today.

One insight stood out to all of us: male loneliness often creeps in during the 30s and grows if we aren’t intentional. I listened as men in their 50s and 60s reflected on how they had let friendships fade, unintentionally finding themselves without close friends. It was a wake-up call.

We’ll talk about why friendships don’t just “happen” as we get older, how relationships require intentional effort, and the concept of “social fitness.” Just like physical fitness, if you don’t exercise your relationships, they atrophy.

I’m also issuing a challenge: take action today. Call or message one friend you want to reconnect with. Be the initiator. Lifelong friendships aren’t built by accident—they require intentionality.