My birthday social experiment

My birthday was just the other day.
What does a guy who has all he wants ask for as a present?  The time of his friends.
 
I've been going through a lot of personal changes lately and I've been trying more "out of the box" type thinking.  So when my birthday rolled around (a day much like any other which usually has no celebration) and my friends asked the question of "What are you going to do for your birthday?" I was kind of dumbstruck because because of my personal revelations lately had me asking the question "Well, what does this 48 year old dude really want"?
 
Short and simple - I want to spend more quality time with my friends and family.
 
How do I make this happen?  Well, I gave nobody any notice but it's my birthday...  So I made a "birthday ask" and opened up my house for the day to my friends and said, "My house will be open today to all my friends and family in Phoenix AZ. Just stop by for 5 minutes or 30. PM me for my address if you need it.  Don't bring anything, no card, no present, just yourself. I have food and drinks (water/milk/soda/koolaid) here."
 
And so shortly before noon my first friend stopped by and I was sporadically visited over the next 9 hours with my friends (one who I hadn't seen in YEARS).  There were times when I was alone with my daughter but for the most part it was a stream of friends who spent their time, their gas, their energy to come and see me.
 
And with each of those friends I had candid, honest and genuine conversations.  I was myself and truly present in that moment with my friends.  Some on a deep and meaningful level and some just chatting about what happened since just the other day.
 
To say I was flattered was an understatement.
 
To all of my friends who have stuck with me for so long, and to those willing to stick with me on the road ahead, I love you.  I truly do.
 

That's what I wanted for my birthday of 48 years.  That's what I always wanted and just never really knew it.

Reposted from May 31, 2016

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