Let's celebrate...

But how?

Hello friends,

I had to smile at the retort of my friend Steve after last week’s blog Life Span, health Span and Mothballs. “I love your idea of 1000 weeks Ruth but I am 100% focussed on living to 100.  I’m not deferring anything in life but trying to keep thinking long term about everything”. I couldn’t agree more. Which leads me perfectly to this weeks blog. I hope you enjoy it.

Oh, and if you do, please leave me a comment or a ❤️ it helps spread my musings, and makes me smile. Thank you.

---

I visited a friend in hospital recently who was in the early stage of recovering from an operation.  Understandably she was occupying herself with thoughts of what she might do on her ‘release’ and, as a rising 1000Weeker, her 60^th birthday. 

Through her morphine induced haze she asked me the question; “Ruth, what makes a celebration?”.

What a brilliant question, right there. It really got me thinking.

Like any budding blogger, I asked my search engine (Ecosia, source: Oxford Languages) for a definition. This is what came up:

1.      The action of celebrating an important day or event.

2.      A social gathering or enjoyable activity held to celebrate something.

A pretty so, so response but I knew my friend was grasping for something deeper.  Something more meaningful.  Something that got to the bones of her need.

We ruminated on our perfect celebration. Who were we with? Where were we? What were we doing?

Fifth floor, Harvey Nicks

The thing is, there are many different ways to celebrate.  When I was in my 30s, trying to fathom my place in life, I recall a dinner at the Fifth Floor in Harvey Nicholls (remember it?).  It was blingy and pricey, particularly for a Wednesday night, and as I looked around the table, I realised I wasn’t enjoying myself and, even worse, had little time or liking for at least 50% of the diners at my table.  I was reminded of the quote that goes something like ‘the price of the dinner has nothing to do with the enjoyment of the evening’.  Or words to that effect.  How true for me at that moment.  How I longed to be with a few good friends, in a pub having ‘a pie and a pint’ and a side order of laughter.  Bliss.

But back to me and my friend. 

What makes a celebration?

What has to exist to make the perfect celebration?

•       Is it the location or place?

•       Is it the activity?

•       Does it involve eating and drinking?

•       Is it the people you are with?

•       Is it the uniqueness of the venue?

•       Does it have to cost ‘a lot’?

•       Do you have to dress up?

•       Is it to do with the importance of the ‘thing’ you are celebrating?

Perhaps the answer is all and none of the above.

Over the years I’ve celebrated in fancy restaurants, on a beach, up a mountain, at the end of a run, at a wedding, at a party, on a dancefloor, watching a friend succeed, and on reaching a destination (at times just the end of the week!).  I’ve celebrated in a field on a rug with a bottle of champagne with my partner and a friend at the start of Covid, and at a kitchen zoom birthday party later on in Covid. Watching a baby being born.  With a friend recovering from illness. At a wake.  I could go on.

It boils down to what matters to you.  Can you celebrate alone?   Maybe.

My wise friend Steph describes a celebration as ‘experiencing a heightened level of consciousness’.  How trippy and beautiful is that?

The common denominators

For me the common denominators for a celebration are the people and a shared purpose.  Everything else will sort itself out.

For now, I’m just going to notice the moments and opportunities to celebrate, not wait for the milestones.  

How about you, what does a celebration mean? What have been your standout celebration moments? What are the milestones you are waiting for? #Dontwait You are never going to be younger than you are today.

Drop me a line, I’d love to hear from you.

Until next week,

Ruth x