Celebration

My wife and I celebrate 27 years of wedded bliss today, which seems weird since I’m only…like…30. 😀 

Anyway, it made me think about celebration more generally – and how we rarely do enough of it. Sure, we tend to acknowledge the bigger things – whether in our personal lives or in our work lives. Things like birthdays, holidays, anniversaries, promotions, milestones, etc.

Hell, some cultures have celebrations that go on for days – even weeks! Everyday life comes to a complete halt as celebrants revel, socialize, connect, and…well…celebrate. Do we need more merrymaking like this in our lives? Probably. Ok, definitely.  

But let’s not talk about the big moments. Let’s talk about the small moments. The moments that can be forgotten or glossed over. The moments that are quiet or understated that deserve to be celebrated. The moments that can feel intensely personal.

A few months ago, we added a rescued feral dog to our family. I wanted to name her Will, but I was overruled (Will feral? Get it?) <yes, my family also rolled their eyes and groaned>. 🫠 Her name is Evie. For four months, she stayed in one room in our house. She slept in that room. She ate in that room. Yes, she even pottied in that room. We couldn’t pet her.

Now? We take her for walks with our other dogs. She roams the house. She goes outside and hangs out in the yard. We still can’t touch her or pet her, but she wants to be near us. When we come home, her tail swirls and she prances around, excited to see us. It’s been slow going; however, looking back where we were when she first came to our house until now is night and day.

And I’m sharing this story because it taught me quite a bit about celebrating the small things. The first time she ate a treat out of our hand? It was like we had discovered fire. The first time she ate dinner outside her crate? OMG! When she took a step outside that one room? We celebrated for days. When she went outside for the first time in 4 months? It was the best thing since sliced bread.

We shouldn’t reserve celebrations just for the big stuff. We need to celebrate life every single day. Sometimes just getting out of bed is a call for celebration. Learning a new skill is a cause for celebration. Seeing a beautiful flower bloom is a cause for celebration. Getting a hug from a friend or family members is a cause for celebration. Even a smile is a cause for celebration. Being true to yourself in the face of adversity is a cause for celebration.

I honestly believe we need to do it more – even on days (and maybe especially on days) when it feels like there is nothing to celebrate.

On that note, I leave you with one of the most iconic songs of the 60’s and 70’s from one of the most iconic bands of the era.

Until next week.

Andy

(All written content created the old-fashioned way.)