The Kindness of Organizing a Gathering

"This is the power of gathering: it inspires us, delightfully, to be more hopeful, more joyful, more thoughtful: in a word, more alive."
~ Alice Waters

More than 20 years ago, I met a couple of professional colleagues through work.  Over the years, we worked together on a number of things.  Several years ago, the spouse of one of our mutual colleagues died and one of the gentlemen reached out to organize lunch for four of us.  This gentleman knows the uplifting impact of being in the company of friends.  The four of us have met several times for lunch over the years and it always makes me glad that we stay in touch and have the opportunity to enjoy each other's company.  Another one of our foursome lost his wife last month and the same gentleman organized another lunch for us to get together.