I'm 36 and have friends in their 50s, 60s, and 70s. They've given me great advice, and their perspectives are a gift.

Courtesy of Kris Ann Valdez

In my 20s, a friend of mine had friendships with a few older women that I envied. They weren't mentors to her, but genuine friends, which meant when she shared her vulnerabilities, they also shared theirs. I could tell how much she gleaned from their sage advice and perspectives. There was a confidence that came from their proven life experience, and I wanted to learn from that, too. But I had no idea how to make older friends.