Shared fun!

Yesterday I was able to rediscover — or rather, once again express and give resonance to — an important part of myself: the more extrovert, playful part of me who wants (and even needs) to just share simple fun.

I’m neither fully an introvert nor really an extrovert, I’m somewhere in between, needing a lot of time/space to myself but also together with other persons. And while in general I tend to seek one-on-one interactions that often allow me to connect more deeply to someone, I also truly enjoy spending time with small groups of people (if they’re people with whom I feel comfortable — I can be so “socially awkward”!). Despite my quirkiness, there is a part of me that really is — or can be — the “heart of the party” or the “cheer-leader”: given the right circumstances, I truly love organizing gatherings/activities/meetings with a group of friends or buddies. I’ve done it throughout my life for my birthday and other occasions such as housewarmings or any random excuse to celebrate or have relaxed fun. 

In the past couple years, I had done much less of this; partly, like most of us, because of COVID, but partly also because of some of my own emotional and professional roller-coasters. 

But yesterday all of the stars seemed to align again, at last: it was a gorgeous, warm beach day in my neighborhood and I was able to find a few good friends who were available to drive over, impromptu, to have a “beach dinner party”. And it was truly lovely: to be able to be outdoors in good weather surrounded by people who sincerely like and value me as I am, to just relax and chat and have a beer and be my unfiltered self in such comfortable, safe and fun company — what a wonderful gift! I hadn’t had something like this in so much time that I had almost forgotten that it’s possible: I had almost forgotten that I can be truly relaxed, melting into the sand, sharing the sunset, letting myself be hugged by the starry sky and lulled by the ocean waves. And that I can do it together with other people, with persons who truly care and enjoy and value doing this with me. 

I can be fun! 

Yes, I can be “difficult”; but I can also be fun: truly, simply, playfully fun!