Dinner With Friends

The reservation has been made.  The invites have been sent.  Your outfit will likely be decided at the last minute.  The only thing left to do is arrive at the restaurant, and begin to create memories with those who matter the most.  Friends who have traveled near and far, and those who will be meeting for the first time. The older I get the more these special moments mean to me.  When I start to plan an occasion I am thinking of those who I have shared my deepest thoughts and feelings with.  Those I can laugh and cry with, and those who get on my nerves at times!  But especially those who love me just as I am.
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The room is filled with laughter, pictures are being snapped, drinks are flowing, food has been ordered with precision, and so it begins.  As the constant smiles cover everyone's faces, the people who walk by can see the joy, and smile along as well, as if they could hear the last comment or the silly joke that was just made.  Your invite list is as important as the venue. Choose wisely.  And while you simply cannot invite everyone, without fail it always ends up being the perfect number and the perfect set of friends.  Balance is everything.  

What did you order?  Oooh, can I taste???  That is soooo good!  Man, I should have ordered that!  Oh wait, is that my food?  Never mind, I like my dish so much better!  I think this is actual footage when my friends and I get together.  LOL!  Don't order anything that looks beyond amazing and think you will keep it to yourself.  Food and drinks are meant to be shared among familiar acquaintances.  

People have come together to 'break bread' for a very long time and it truly sets a standard and starts a trend that is continued for years to come.  Being able to step back out of your mundane routine to celebrate an occasion is a gift and a blessing all in one.  Not to mention It's a reason to buy new shoes and dress up, even if only for one night.  ​By now the waiter or waitress has blended in so much that they have become part of this dynamic clique and end up in the countless pictures as one of us.  They have heard quite a bit, and see that this 'special' group is either certifiably insane or truly just enjoying life.  Importantly enough I have learned to appreciate that it doesn't have to be a special occasion to get together with friends.  Why can't life be enjoyed in an explosive magnitude on a Monday?  It can!  The more we wait for the perfect opportunity to come, we look up and realize we have missed out on inspiring conversations, warm hugs, and genuine smiles.  All of those things are needed to replenish your soul.  Do them well, and do them often.

For now, dinner is over.  Everyone is going in a different direction.  We part as if we won't see one another for a while, and for some that is sadly true.  So we ask, "When is the next get together?"  It could be next week, next month, or maybe even next year.  Each year I find myself wondering how I can top the last dinner with friends, but the truth is moments can't be topped, they can only continue.  The here is now, and that's not a guaranteed forever.  So, I will enjoy, eat, drink, and be merry for as long as I can, with great friends.  ❤️

​~AJ