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4 rules for traveling to find your way back to old friendships.

Jessica Francis Kane "wrote a novel about a woman who rekindles old friendships with some strict rules" (Slate) and then tried to follow the rules herself in real life. The rules:
1. Make the visit for the purpose of friendship only—not because you have a business trip in the area, for example.

2. Stay at your friend’s house.

3. Be alive in the space of the friendship, meaning no social media during the visit. Take pictures for yourself, if you want, but no posting until later.

4. Don’t make special plans (spa, resort, fancy local restaurant), because the purpose is to see an ordinary day in the life of your friend.
Would you do this? Whether your answer is yes or no, is it because of the nature of your relationship with human beings who are distant from you in time and place? Is there something about these rules that inspires you or puts you off? If you wanted to find your way back to friends (are they still your friends?) what rules would you follow? Hmm. Maybe we need a set of rules about deciding whether to travel back into old friendships. I mean, how would I feel if someone I once had in my life as a friend emailed me about her plan to follow these rules? How would you feel? It's awfully... invasive! Suddenly, you're somebody's project.

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