Friendsgiving: The Night We Danced Our Way Into Belonging
Friendsgiving: The Night We Danced Our Way Into Belonging
A Persian Dinner, Wonderful Women, and the Joy of Sharing Life
Today was Thanksgiving Day in Canada, and what a beautiful way to celebrate it!
The Ladies of Saugeen Shores Women’s Institute gathered for a Friendsgiving hosted by our lovely new member and friend, who welcomed us into her world with a Persian dinner night.
And oh my goodness—what a night!
The food was delicious, the company was wonderful, and there was so much laughter, dancing, karaoke, and fun. And the belly dancing? OMG! That was the best! 😂💃
It was one of those evenings when you look around and think, This is what life is supposed to feel like.
Not complicated. Not overly planned. Not another responsibility to manage.
Just women gathering, sharing food, experiencing another culture, laughing together, and enjoying being alive.
More Than a Dinner
What made the evening special wasn't only the Persian food or the entertainment. It was the opportunity to experience a little piece of our friend's culture and celebrate together.
We came from different backgrounds and different walks of life, but around the dinner table, those differences became something beautiful to share.
Food has a way of bringing people together. Music gives us another language. Dancing reminds us that we don't always need words to connect.
Sometimes we simply need to get up, move our bodies, laugh at ourselves, and enjoy the moment.
And tonight, we did exactly that!
This Is the Community I Wanted to Build
When I started building the Ladies of Saugeen Shores Women’s Institute, I had ideas about programs, meetings, speakers, community projects, and all the things we could accomplish together.
Those things matter.
But tonight reminded me that community is also built in the moments between the meetings.
It's built when someone opens her home.
When a friend prepares food from her culture.
When women sit together and share stories.
When someone sings karaoke.
When the music starts and people begin dancing.
When laughter fills a room and nobody is worried about whether everything is perfect.
This is community, too.
Perhaps these joyful experiences are just as important as the work we do.
Because before we can build something meaningful together, we need opportunities to know one another—not only as members, volunteers, or organizers, but as human beings.
Thanksgiving Has a Different Meaning for Me Now
Lately, I have been reflecting on how much my relationship with my hometown and community has changed.
I spent years creating—songs, albums, blogs, ideas, and projects. I needed that season. I needed to explore myself, express my creativity, and build a life that felt authentic to who I was becoming.
And now, something is shifting.
I am no longer interested only in creating things.
I want to experience life with people.
I want to cook, share meals, attend local events, welcome friends, learn about different cultures, and make memories right here where I live.
I want to appreciate the community around me instead of always looking toward the next destination or the next big idea.
Tonight was a beautiful reminder that I don't have to travel far to experience something wonderful.
Sometimes adventure comes to your dinner table.
Sometimes a new culture comes through a friend's kitchen.
Sometimes the most memorable evening is the one you spend laughing and dancing with women you are getting to know.
And sometimes, the best part of building a community is discovering that you are building friendships along the way.
The Joy of Being Here
I used to think that a fulfilling life needed to be filled with extraordinary experiences.
Now I am discovering that ordinary life becomes extraordinary when we are present enough to enjoy it.
A shared dinner.
A new friendship.
A song sung badly but enthusiastically.
A dance that makes everyone laugh.
A room full of women having fun.
These are the moments that become memories.
And these are the moments I want more of.
Not because I need to keep myself entertained or prove that I am living fully, but because I genuinely enjoy connecting with people.
I can still create music. I can still write. I can still dream up projects and build things.
But I am learning that I don't need to turn every beautiful experience into another achievement.
Sometimes I can simply participate.
Sometimes I can let somebody else host.
Sometimes I can be a guest, enjoy the food, laugh until my cheeks hurt, and dance the night away.
I don't always have to be the one creating the experience. I can simply enjoy it.
And that, too, is freedom.
A Thanksgiving to Remember
Tonight, I am grateful for our new friend who welcomed us so warmly, for the delicious Persian dinner, for the dancing and karaoke, and for every woman who helped make the evening memorable.
I am grateful that our Women's Institute is becoming more than a gathering of members. We are creating opportunities to learn from one another, celebrate different cultures, and enjoy life together.
We are building something that allows women to bring their whole selves to the table.
And I hope we continue to make room for evenings like this—where the agenda can wait, the laughter can take over, and the only thing we need to accomplish is having a wonderful time.
Because tonight, we didn't need to solve a problem or organize the next event.
We simply enjoyed being together.
And that was more than enough.
Happy Thanksgiving!
May we continue to find reasons to gather, new cultures to appreciate, new friendships to nurture, and plenty of occasions to dance.
And may there always be room for a little belly dancing! 😂💃
— Julie
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