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Move, Make, and Mingle FINDING YOUR PEOPLE STARTS WITH DOING WHAT YOU LOVE As life enters a new chapter, many find themselves craving meaningful activities and meaningful connections. Making new friends doesn’t always come as easily as it once did, but shared interests can offer a natural way to meet others. Engaging hobbies offer more than just something to do; they offer a way to belong. Recreational sports like golf, pickleball, or bowling bring people together through lighthearted competition and camaraderie. These games are less about winning and more about showing up, staying active, and enjoying a few laughs along the way. Community theater offers a behind-the-scenes magic all its own. You don’t have to be on stage to be part of the show. Directing, costume design, set building, and ushering are all wonderful ways to get involved and meet like-minded people. Volunteering is another powerful way to connect. Whether you’re walking shelter dogs, preparing meals, or mentoring a young person, shared service often sparks lasting friendships built on purpose and compassion.
WHEN BLOOD ISN’T ENOUGH
REMOVING AN ESTRANGED CHILD FROM YOUR WILL
When our kids are young, they rely on us for everything. They need us to cook their meals, help them get dressed, and encourage them to be the best version of themselves, but as they age, they strive for independence. This can lead to rocky relationships between parents and children, since parents have to navigate personality and interest changes, new relationships, and difficult situations. While most kids manage this phase of life well, some cut their parents off. You can text, call, email, or send letters, but you may fail to receive a response from your child. You may even consider cutting them out as you look toward the future and devise your estate plan. Is this petty? Or are you just protecting yourself? Nobody wants to imagine a life where they are completely estranged from their child, but it still happens, even after people make every last effort to save the relationship. After so much effort, you feel like giving up. You may have other children who remained close to you, or even have a relationship with your estranged child’s children. Your child has already shown they crave financial and self- independence, so are you acting unethically by removing them from your will or trust? Not at all! Remember that you have complete control over your estate plan. You are not obligated to leave anything to an estranged child. The only exception is if your children are still minors or legally depend on you. However, if you fail to create an estate plan, everything will be subject to your state’s intestacy laws. This could mean your estranged child will get an equal share. If you create an estate plan that fails to mention an estranged child, they may feel compelled to contest or dispute your will and other documents. They may lie and claim the estrangement was false or based on a misconception. To avoid this, you must be very clear when putting together your documents. You need to remove any uncertainty from the situation, ensuring perfect clarity about who receives what. You are not being petty by removing an estranged child from your estate plan. You are simply protecting yourself, your assets, and your loved ones.
If you enjoy music and movement, dance classes offer both. Whether ballroom, swing, or line dancing, these settings make it easy to meet new people while staying energized. And group fitness classes like water aerobics, tai chi, or walking groups combine health and community in one uplifting routine.
Love working with your hands? Craft clubs bring together quilters, knitters, painters, and other creatives to swap stories and skills. Even amateur or ham radio can be surprisingly social, offering a way to connect across town or the world without ever leaving home.
Building new friendships may take intention, but these hobbies make it easy and delightful.
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