Does anyone have deep connections with new friends?

It seems a bit odd, rather than ‘pessimistic’, to me that you regard it as ‘putting yourself out’ to encounter new people at an activity presumably chosen because you enjoy it? It’s not that much effort, surely, to take up a class or activity that you enjoy and see if anyone you like comes into your life because of it?

I have met people with similar life experiences and become close to them because of that, yes.

Of course it's worth making new friends - you won't have an immediate deep connection but it grows over time. I moved to the town where I live 25 years ago and didn't know a soul. Made lots of mum friends and did lots socially with them all - most of these friendships have drifted as children have got older and we meet occasionally but my 2 closest friends have stuck and we're still close, our kids are all adults now. These 2 friends and I have supported each other through the highs and lows of life and they are very important to me. It takes time to build that connection but it's worth it!

I’ve had new friends that I’ve had a deep connection with. Some have gone on to be lifelong friends (as @HillOf says above).

As PPs have said you won’t have the history or heritage immediately: that takes time.

But building new friendships is also fun and rewarding. The freshness of building a new friendship network can be exhilarating.

Its good to have old and longstanding friendships but also important to meet new people.

Of course you can. Some of my most precious friends are women I met within the last 3 to 6 years.

Friendships are not so different from romantic relationships: past a certain age, you don't tip-toe around it for ages to be sure it's a good enough relationship, you just know what you want, what you can bring, and you go for it.

I met a woman a couple years ago, after seeing each other twice, we both acknowledged the fact that we were both very happy to have met.

This is a strange question. Obviously, the connections that we have with friends deepen over time - you are never going to have that connection instantly but the friendship has to start somewhere.

What I would say is that my oldest friends are not my closest friends. So it isn't only about time.

I have newer friends who I am close with, friendships of a few years. I don’t think you often form a deep connection with someone over weeks but certainly over months and within a year it’s possible.

What an odd question. No, obviously you’re not going to have an immediate connection with someone you’re only getting to know that will in any way equal your closest, oldest friendships, but every long, established, close friendship was once two complete strangers meeting at a party, or in a lecture theatre, or the school gate. That’s where every friendship starts.

So unless you know you’ll be dead in a month, why wouldn’t you make new friends?

You’d create a history over time, I guess, and talk about stuff that matters to both of you.