International Friendship Day, as declared by the United Nations, falls on 30 July every year.
However, most countries celebrate the day on the first Sunday of August and this year it falls on 2 August.
It was the perfect timing for the event this evening, which Danita organised as a celebration of her friend Pat’s, life.
Recently, Danita spent a week in Singapore at Pat’s request.
I discussed it in a post at the time.
Sadly, a few days after that visit Pat passed away quite suddenly.
Tonight, a number of Pat’s closest friends (and their husbands/partners) got together to celebrate her life.
This was a group who’d been together since school (many since Primary School with a few more collected in High School).
As a group they’ve been through all of life’s challenges, joys, ups and downs.
There have been births, deaths, marriages, divorces, affairs, career changes, religious shifts and more.
Chances are: you name it, they’ve done it (OK there hasn’t been a gay marriage or a sex change but who’s to say what’s yet to come).
Of course, no one person has done everything but the fascinating things is; as a group they’ve shared all those experiences and they are still connected.
I’m the absolute “new kid on the block” having been with Danita for nearly 16 years. (I really get it when I hear people talking about how they’ve lived in a town for 50 years and are still considered “blow-ins”.)
I think the real tie is their history – they have many shared experiences.
Of course, at this type of event there’s a lot of discussion about who know’s who and how people are related and how so and so’s mother used to do this and such and such’s father would do that.
But there’s also an underlying acceptance of each other – there’s a camaraderie and (for want of a better word) a teamship between all the girls – something special that seems to come out when they’re together.
When we get together in smaller groups, like a couple of couples, things get talked about and a connection occurs.
But, when the WHOLE GANG is there, there’s almost something that happens where they seem to bring out the best in other which is lovely to watch.
While Pat wasn’t physically there, her spirit certainly was – a few people described events which had happened involving Pat and showing what sort of person she was (all of which was quite spontaneous and all the more moving as a result).
It’s definitely the sort of gathering she would have loved.
And so, as part of International Friendship Day we experienced a special group of friends gathering to share in celebrating the life of another friend – a very appropriate way to spend the evening.
How did you spend IFD?
For this post I’ve selected a number of images/thoughts about friendship which I think Pat would have appreciated.