The Socrates Express: In Search of Life Lessons from Dead Philosophers

by Eric Weiner

“No tree becomes rooted and sturdy unless many a wind assails it. For by its very tossing it tightens its grip and plants its roots more securely… disaster is virtue’s opportunity.”

Friends matter when you’re young. They matter more when you’re old. In addition to the usual benefits—shared interests, a shoulder to cry on—friends link your present self with your past self. That’s why losing a friend is especially painful when you’re older. You’re losing not only a friend but a piece of your past, too. A piece of yourself.