The Social Ritual That Made Me a Better Man

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This wasn’t just in my head. In a 2017 study led by the evolutionary psychologist Robin Dunbar, researchers at the University of Oxford found that nights out with friends support mental and emotional well-being. Other research has shown that strong friendships are associated with increased generosity, lower rates of depression and anxiety, and even a more robust immune system.

Those long evenings provoked tears of laughter, sometimes sorrow, and occasionally both in the course of a meal. They affirmed the choices and sacrifices I had made: turning away from an established career path in America, and redirecting my energy and resources to less self-interested ends. Over the slow procession of weeks, months, and years, these nights out helped me grasp new and unforeseen opportunities that my growing family and French society could extend. They made me a better friend, partner, and father.

Read the whole story (subscription may be required): The Atlantic