We’d love to see you at our community bonfire.
A bonfire in a metal fire pit, with blurry green woods in the background. Photo credit: Roya Ann Miller.
Hello Wonder.
A couple of years ago, Britt said to me, “When I make it to 10 years at Firefly, I want a party.”
I loved that gusto and I held her words close to my heart. When we started creeping up on her anniversary, we started to brainstorm.
This is what we came up with. Dusk in a big city park. A bonfire for our community. An invitation for all of us to pause and celebrate accomplishments, small and large.
Truth: The word “accomplishment” makes me squirm.
It always feels like something out of reach, something I’m supposed to be working harder for.
Can we turn that around?
Accomplishments are all around us if we pay attention. Like getting out of bed today. Like finishing a poem this year. Like springtime, at last.
At this event, we’ll be celebrating Britt’s ten years, and we’ll also be celebrating all the creative things — small and large — that you’ve accomplished.
Whether you know Britt or not, we’d love to see you there.
Come to celebrate winter being over.
Come to meet other people who love to write.
Come to be in a park at dusk.
Come to toast a marshmallow. (We’ll have regular and vegan ones.)
Come to get to know Firefly team members.
Come to have a genuine experience of community — sweet, messy, and alive.
Come to get campfire smell on your clothes.
Come to celebrate the wonderful Britt, whether you know her yet or not.
Come to celebrate all your accomplishments, small and large.
Because we’re very sensitive beings, we’ve built in lots of optional ways to help us connect.
We’ll have a “welcome station” to get everyone oriented, a group of dedicated welcome-ers wearing bright purple stickers, watching for anyone who could use a chat. We’ll have two sets of optional activities — at 7:30 and 8:15 — to help us connect and meet new people, and to celebrate and say goodbye at the end.
Do you love a little job? We could use fire tenders, welcome committee members, marshmallow passer-outers, and no doubt lots of things we haven’t thought of yet. If you want to get involved, fill out this little form, and we’ll be in touch.
Okay, one more thought.
Priya Parker in her beautiful book The Art Of Gathering writes:
The conscious bringing together of people for a reason shapes the way we think, feel and make sense of the world.
We’re very far from each other these days. It can be hard to draw closer. But whether it’s sharing a marshmallow with a stranger, signing up for a workshop, or finally saying hello to that neighbour you’ve been wondering about, I’m wishing you a crackling fire of human connection as we all move forward into the spring.
In it with you,
