Dropping me off under the awning of a shopping center, he tells me to wait while he parks our car. Surreptitiously, I look around trying to deduce our destination amongst the collection of cafes, boutiques, and businesses. After running through the drizzle, he takes my arm and leads me into a storefront that appears to be an art studio. I love pottery and admire the shelves full of colorful ceramics before investigating further. Then, I hear laughing and look up to see our son and daughter along with their aunt, uncle, and grandmother. I am utterly shocked to discover that they conspired to surprise me with a painting party. That our busy family took the time to choose and participate in an activity just for my own interests overwhelms me with emotion. We cherish this experience of creating art together even more than the keepsakes we proudly make!
Prioritizing the obligations of life sometimes exhausts us and might even suck the joy out of celebrations with loved ones. The usual pattern of gathering together for holidays, birthdays, and special occasions tends to add even more stress to the most busy and crowded days of our calendars. Why not surprise one another for no particular reason? Socializing with people who care is extremely uplifting and brings the kind of happiness that makes for lifelong memories. Group activities are far simpler to coordinate when other events are not stacking up already. One year, my former coworkers traveled from all around to meet me at a restaurant before the Christmas rush began. After years of working together, we still like to see each other despite moving away to different places. While there is usually the expectation of spending holidays and birthdays with family and friends, lasting relationships are built upon making the effort to spend time together without any purpose other than to stay in touch.