I cannot remember when I stopped hosting birthday parties. It was probably sometime during my teenage years.

Sure, there have always been days with cake and mandatory family visits (which, if you know me, do not bring me joy), but no dedicated hanging out with friends.

However, I have recently concluded that we need love and empathy more now than ever, and spending time with friends is essential.

So, I ignored my dislike for birthdays and lack of organizational skills and decided to throw a party.

More people than expected

I started with a small list of invitees. Slowly, thinking about introducing my favorite humans to each other made me giddy.

And the list grew.

In the end, even after "losing" a sizeable number of invitees to the Dutch school holidays and "the sniffles," we still ended up with about fifteen people under the same roof celebrating.

Team effort

It was funny that, despite inviting lots of people who have known me at my best and worst, I was still nervous about hosting them.

In the end, not only were my nerves unnecessary, but several guests helped with the preparation or cleaning.

In preparation, I was juggling logistics between two dear friends (let's call them J and S), who had to meet each other before one had to go home again.

After J and S survived my slightly decreased driving skills and J taught me a new breathing technique, they also helped me with the shopping.

S later even taught me his favorite bell pepper-cutting technique amid party chaos because that was absolutely the best time to do this kind of stuff.

One friend volunteered for DJ duty (we're all millennials, so 90s Party Playlist, let's go!).

Other guests helped clean up the dinner table, doing so out of sight without being asked. For one guest, we almost had to physically restrain them from deep cleaning the kitchen counters at the end of the night.

It was all in a house that my partner had spent a good time cleaning beforehand, especially since I was not feeling well the day before the party and was essentially useless.

Lack of tech

Here is a funny contradiction:

I am equally happy and sad that no one took pictures during the party.

On the one hand, I would have loved them because I lack pictures of my friends.

On the other hand, people were having too much fun to be bothered with their phones; in this day and age, that is a near miracle!

Appreciation

Seeing this merry band of friends—many of whom have a special place in my heart—getting along and having a good time made me realize how lucky I have been to meet them.

Knowing they exist is one thing, but seeing these people materialize in front of you brings it all into perspective.

While I did not want gifts per se, the gifts I received were personal to my taste and well thought about. Two folks even hit the maker space to make a test board for locally purchasable buttons (we call that enabling).

I have a special love for J, who has been my best friend for over twenty years and is one month postpartum. She couldn't join the evening celebrations or stay long, but she spent the time she could in the afternoon because that is what besties do.

All in all, this party drove home the point that I should be grateful for the real riches I have acquired: good friends.

Wrap-up

I didn't expect a party to make me sappy, but it happened, and I think it was good to learn these lessons in appreciation.

Now that the first party is down, it feels easier to have another one!

I also have to admit that I am happy to have had this moment, no matter what happens next. My reason for saying this might make more sense after an upcoming personal post slated for the 23rd of March.

With all this being said, I think I described the moral of the story best on Mastodon:

The more technology takes humanity away from us, the more important it feels to celebrate the people in our lives.