Having come from a huge family, there was never a shortage of celebrations to be had at my home. We celebrated everything - birthdays, communions, graduations, holidays and it always included food, the way most of us let others know they are loved. I figure it is fuel for the soul and heart. When we were kids, my dad would always pull out his accordian and entertain us. Later on, others joined in with guitars and singing, and even a little dancing went on. The bottom line was when people connect, their spirits soar with joy just being together and sharing whatever occasion presents itself for that day. The more, the merrier.
We used to have parties all the time and sometimes just for no reason, just to bring people together and share a day connecting. Whoever was able came by, simple as that. We attend most parties that we are invited to, but sometimes other plans interfere, and we miss out, but get there the next round. With big families and many friends, there is always something going on. It's nice to visit the homes and see what updates are created and be a part of each other's lives. We take time to share our sanctuaries.
Parties offer us the time to just hang out and catch up on things going on in our lives. Phone calls, chat rooms, texting and even facebook and blogs can never replace the joy of a loving hug or sweet smile. Whoever hosts a party spends time preparing for the celebration, but it is always worth the memories replayed afterwards. Pictures recreate and capture the moments of love shared.
We celebrated Steven's high school graduation and what a wonderful time all had. The energies exchanged were phenomenal. Many commented on how each individual group of people enjoyed all the larger connections in a healthy, fun and loving way. There was no tension at all. This might seem strange, but many times parties offer opportunities for conflict to occur, which is why we refrained from having any chance of that happening the past few years. This last celebration offered a peaceful balance to those times. Karma always comes around.
The most significant part of parties is when we revisit friends of old and see how they have grown and matured. It amazes me how quickly time flies and how short life really is just by acknowledging the younger kids each time they visit.
And there is always the next generation to begin their own parties and celebrations enabling them to make all their own memories together. The best we can hope for is we set a loving example of how it's done for them to follow, just as our parents and relatives did for us. My dad always said the louder the music, the better the party. We had music playing throughout the grounds, but the best music was the conversations heard all day. Thanks to all for sharing. Love and hugs. xo
