Excuses to meet

We didn't need many reasons to meet when we were little. You could come over simply because the new album of NSync came out, or the newest NES game. We could have study nights, sleepovers, birthday parties. We could go to the movies, skating rink, or the park. In fact, no excuse was needed to meet.

So much harder things are now. I always mention the big three reasons for people to visit each other again during adulthood: weddings, birthdays (or births), and funerals. (You could also add moving into a new home or a nationally televised football game to the list, but I haven't noticed that everybody uses these excuses universally to meet). I don't count Christmas and New Years, because those have fixed dates on the calendar.

Other excuses don't seem to be serious enough anymore. And it is true, no other reasons are serious institutions. Institutions I see as ingrained events in the social collective mind, traditional and heavy on rituals, and which are so important companies (should) have special arrangements for their workers for these. Nobody questions the authority of these events. People even get mad if they are not even considered for invitation to the event. And I do think only these three events fit the bill.

It's a pity though. We apparently had so many more reasons to meet when we were young, often making up our own institutions (beer night, initiation week, formula one grand prix, etc.). But when we finally grow up, we get stuck with the same institutions we always had. It's sad really. We basically cut off most of the opportunities to get into contact with the people we should keep in contact with. Now everything becomes a battle of priorities, personal schedules, responsibilities in the workplace and in the home, and also energy and health.

However, it is my solemn goal to create as many new, valuable institutions as possible, for as many friends and family as possible. I'll let you know, when I find them.