It takes approximately 40 to 60 hours of togetherness to go from acquaintance to casual friendship, 80 to 100 hours to establish a regular friendship, and over 200 hours for a close friendship. In a world where people have little time for themselves, that's hard. The result is widespread loneliness, which undermines health and happiness.

Today is International Friendship Day, a time to celebrate friendship as a way to inspire peace efforts and build bridges between communities. Devote some time to nurturing the friendships you already have—go out for lunch, walk in the park, have a game night, whatever. You could also cast a spell to attract new friends. Make three braids of pink yarn, then braid those together. Say:

By the might of three times three, gather in new friends for me.

Wear the braid as a bracelet or carry it in your pocket. Then go places where you could meet potential friends, like a bookstore, hobby class, or club meeting. Choose at least one person to talk with.