Issue 18 – The Friendship SOS
Or: Maybe “Let’s Get Coffee Soon” Is a Love Language After All.
I couldn’t help but wonder…
When did friendship become the biggest love story we forget to nurture?
Because lately, it feels like we’re all trying to hold our lives together with iced matcha, Google Calendar alerts, and the hope that someone — anyone — will text first.
In the queer community, it’s even trickier. Apps are loaded with ulterior motives. Group chats are chaotic. Everyone’s “around this week” until, suddenly, they’re not.
But here’s what I keep coming back to: sometimes “Fancy a coffee?” isn’t casual. Sometimes it’s a little SOS wrapped in a latte.
A soft plea that means:
“I need someone today.”
“I miss being seen.”
“Please let this city feel smaller for an hour.”
The truth is, adult life exhausts us. The diaries never align. Suddenly that simple “Let’s go to that new exhibition!” becomes a logistical puzzle worthy of MI6.
But then — when we actually go? Magic. A laugh that shakes something loose in your chest. A walk home that feels lighter.
And maybe that’s the thing: friendships in this chapter aren’t effortless. They’re intentional. Chosen. Protected.
So I’m learning to say yes more. To show up — imperfectly, honestly, and sometimes ten minutes late with a banana bread matcha in hand.
Because someone might really need that hour. And — if I’m honest — so might I.
And just like that… connection wasn’t something I hoped for anymore. It was something I chose.