Shared routines and repeated contact help create strong social bonds.

Major life transitions often weaken friendships by removing shared contexts.

The end of a friendship does not mean the relationship lacked meaning or significance.

Viewing some relationships as chapter friendships can reduce feelings of loss or failure.

I have been thinking recently about the many friendships I have formed through work. Having lived for work in both the United States and the United Kingdom, I am aware that expectations around friendship can vary across cultures. Some cultures place a stronger emphasis on maintaining lifelong social connections, while others may be more accepting of friendships that emerge around particular life circumstances.

Over the past five years, working in mental health services in the UK, I have formed many close friendships through work. Sharing long shifts, difficult situations, intense training, and emotionally demanding experiences can create a sense of connection that develops quickly and feels deeply meaningful.

Yet when people move roles, organisations, or locations, many of these friendships naturally fade. Looking back, I do not see them as failed friendships. Instead, I see them as relationships that were important for a particular period of my life—friendships that shaped a chapter, even if they were not meant to last a lifetime.

The Friendships That Shape Us

Chapter friendships appear throughout life. They may develop at university, during a first job, while raising young children, during a period of illness, or after moving to a new city.

Workplace........

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