In the hierarchy of modern relationships, friendship occupies a peculiar position: essential to our wellbeing, central to our happiness, yet always relegated to the emotional back burner when life gets serious. Romance gets the red carpet but friendship gets the leftover energy.

The episode looks at the particular challenges of millennial friendship maintenance, the juggling act of careers, partnerships, children, and the basic maintenance of adult existence. Balancing connection with the demands of daily life feels overwhelming, and friendships slip through the cracks.

Jacqui takes us back to basics: friendship is about presence. Small, consistent actions make all the difference. The voice note trumps the dinner party. The quick check-in beats the elaborate gesture. Consistency is the currency that matters. They tackle the friendship emotions everyone talks about: the guilt of being available enough, the little pang of jealousy when a friend's life looks more polished than yours, and why being a good friend means showing up as you are.

The episode's most potent revelation: being a good friend means resisting the urge to fix, to solve, to optimize. The most profound gift you offer is being willing to sit in someone else's mess while trying to clean it up.

In a world obsessed with romantic partnerships, this is a love letter to our friends. 

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