When the going gets tough, the prospect of delegating half your responsibilities to a willing volunteer, either to play a supporting role or take over the breadwinning, certainly holds allure.

Joy acts like a trampoline, everything that touches it bouncing right back off it.

In romance we feel the need to zoom in and expound on our partner's foibles in intimate detail; in friendship we tend to do the opposite, avoiding confrontation through fear, lethargy or both.

The great advantage of being human is that we can employ rational thought and resolve to change our circumstances.

Like cars, every relationship requires a bit of an occasional service, and fine-tuning should be compulsory.

In the city, I wake bolt upright in the small hours, convinced that intruders are marauding through our apartment despite Swiss bank-style security arrangements.

Sustaining true friendship is a lot more challenging than we give it credit for.