Catholic Husband

Love / Lead / Serve

Is Your Wife Your Only Friend?

Admittedly, this is going to be a bit of an awkward post for me. While I wish I was living out the principles that I'm going to cover, I'm really not. You see, as men, we need really great guy friends. Certainly your wife is your best friend and yet, she can't be your only friend. We need people around us to help us be better men, and who better to challenge us than friends who struggle with the exact same things that we struggle with? By cultivating great relationships with a few great guys, you can build a support network and grow as a man.

We're social beings, and although we have plenty of commitments at home, we do need a friend group that we can count on, and who can count on us. We grow through our friendships and relationships. We learn the shocking truth that we're not the only ones with problems. We encourage each other in life and can provide objective help to one another.

The truth is, many of us struggle to identify that friend group after college. There are certainly people that we're friendly with, but if you've moved away from home and college, you may struggle to establish a new group of close friends. I certainly have. I do have friends that I've kept in contact with over the years, but none of them live close enough that we could go grab a beer. My best luck has been through the Knights of Columbus, but since our move last summer, I haven't been active in my local Council.

While guy friends can help us grow, the social element is perhaps even more important. Truthfully, sometimes your wife needs a break from you. You probably need the occasional break from her. It's not a bad thing, just a natural occurrence over time. When you do have a night out, hanging out with guys who share your interests can be the perfect evening.

If you're like me and don't have one, two, or even more great guy friends in your area, you know what the challenge is. Find some guys in your peer group, engage socially, and build up your friend network. Certainly it's more easily said, than done, but the effort is more than worth it.