Looking forward to our gathering of friends on Wednesday

The third Wednesday of each month is when the board that I used to be on meets.  Since I and a bunch of other people are no longer on that board, we've decided to have a "gathering of friends" on the same date at the same time.  That way we're not tempted to go to the actual board meeting, see what a mess they're in and try to save them even though they don't want to be saved.  Right now they seem to be in the space where there's so much they don't know that they don't even know the trouble they're in.  And since they don't know that, they would resent any offers of assistance.  So we'll let them really flounder for a few months until they know for sure how deep they're in it, and by that time all inclination to help them will be gone.

At any rate, what the rest of us have realized is that we genuinely like each other and want to help each other succeed and it's pretty great that we're friends as well.  Hence our "gathering of friends."  It is NOT an "alumni meeting," and there are no rules to this gathering except that there are no rules.  No quorum, no RSVP.  Whoever shows up is welcome.  I'm keeping a loose count just so I can tell the restaurant how many to expect.  It has been suggested, however, that anyone who starts discussing the organization or says "you know what we should do..." will be booted out the door.

These friends are looking pretty darn relaxed.  No task lists for the association, no deadlines, phone calls and emails have just gone away.  The "gotta do" notion was ingrained for so long and so deep that it's taking us all a while to get out of that mode, at least for all the association work we used to do.  When I met the former president of the association at a different meeting last week, she said, "I keep thinking about all the stuff I should be doing, and then I realize, hey, wait...  I DON'T have to do that... it's not my problem any more...."   And she smiled real big and looked the most relaxed I've seen her look in the three years I've known her.  We're all getting there.  It's a good place to be.

So the only "gotta do" I have is to call the restaurant and let them know there will be at least seven of us on Wednesday.  Maybe more.  We'll see if anyone else resigns this week.