It’s no secret to those who know me that I enjoy a good party popper. I love the combination of surprise and joy and celebration and the way that an ordinary moment can instantly and literally explode into something truly memorable with just the turn of a tube. I love being on the lookout for moments that have party popper potential, and I love being on the other side of those moments with folks who are covered in confetti, laughing, and distinctly aware that they are worthy of being celebrated. Party popper moments–both ones we create and ones we receive–are what I wish for all of us in 2018.

But even better than party popper moments are Party Popper People, those folks whose entire being creates that same sense of joy and surprise and beauty. Folks who with their words and actions shoot confetti all over the ordinary until everything and everyone around them is more beautiful and memorable because of what they bring and what they leave behind. Party Popper People don’t hesitate to speak words of kindness and encouragement, aren’t afraid to do the courageous (or at least don’t let fear stop them!), and stay with us long after they’ve left the room. My dad was a party popper person. Today as I remember him, I recall the party popper moments he created in my life (and the lives of so many others) with his perpetual smile, his joyful spirit, his thoughtful questions, his steady encouragement, and his cheerful disposition. And because of this, he left us all covered in the confetti of laughter and hope and possibility and the deep belief that life and people are worth celebrating. That is his legacy, and I am grateful.

And so I ask…Who are our Party Popper People and have we let them know the impact they’ve had on us? And are we on the lookout for party popper moments, focusing our energy on what is going right and taking the time to celebrate the greatness in our midst?

Cue the confetti, y’all. I’m certain that party popper moments and people are on the way… 🙂