​An article by Brad Stulberg, which appeared in The Wall Street Journal, points out that being alone and isolated is not good for us—as human beings we need friendships to thrive. He then points out that our great religious traditions have known this all along. For example, St. Augustine said in a fourth century sermon, “In this world, two things are essential: life and friendship. Both should be highly prized, and we must not undervalue them.” The author goes on to point out that, “In one ancient Buddhist text, the Buddha’s loyal attendant, Ananda, approaches and asks, ‘Venerable sir, this is half of the spiritual life, that is, good friendship, good companionship, good comradeship.’ The Buddha replies enthusiastically but sternly: ‘Not so, Ananda! Not so! This—good friendship, good companionship, and good comradeship—is the entire spiritual life.’” So, which is more important, the journey of the destination? The answer is the company—your friendships!