My last article was about having fun with AI. Sometimes I feel like we’re living in the days of George Jetson, don’t you? But today, I want to return to something timeless, something our ancestors knew instinctively: the power of gathering in community. We are wired for circles, for stories, for rituals that mark the rhythm of our days and the milestones of our lives. A few days ago, I had the privilege of joining the Next Door Book Club in Holly Springs, North Carolina to discuss my book Sacred Celebrations: Designing Rituals to Navigate Life’s Milestone Transitions. These seven women have been meeting since before Covid, weaving a tapestry of deep friendship. As one member shared, “I love us because we are diverse and multi-generational!” They don’t just read together, they travel together, celebrate together, and grow together. Our conversation was rich and layered. We explored daily rituals and the big life-moment ones. Each woman offered her own wisdom and all of them could name rituals that matter. Some of the stories they shared were touching and powerful:
- “Every morning I make my coffee, and my little dog climbs onto my lap. She waits for me in the chair—it’s our daily ritual of connection.”
- “My husband makes me green tea every morning. Such a sweet act of love.”
- “When I got my master’s degree, a family member skipped a wedding to come to my graduation. She said, ‘People get married and divorced all the time, but you only get your master’s once!’ I felt so seen that day.”
- “I wish I’d had this book when my kids were little so I could have taught them the importance of ritual earlier.”
- “My birthday is two days before Christmas, but my mom always made it special with a dinner just for me. My kids now carry on that tradition, and I feel celebrated.”
- “Gratitude is essential! I’m inspired to start a gratitude jar, keep a journal, and write more thank-you notes.”
Their reflections reminded me why I wrote this book in the first place: rituals connect us to ourselves, to one another, and to what matters most. At the end, they thanked me for sparking new insights, and I thanked them for welcoming me as a temporary sister in their circle—even if it was just via Zoom. 
So, here’s my invitation to you: don’t just do your rituals in private—talk about them too. Share them with your friends. Whether you gather to discuss books, food, art, parenting, or even politics, spend intentional time with your people. Because community and connection matter now more than ever. 
And if your book club would like to dive into Sacred Celebrations, I’d love to join you for a conversation! Email me and we’ll set a date. I can send you discussion questions to get you started, and you can order signed copies from my website or purchase through Amazon or Bookshop.
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Because when we gather in circles and talk about the rituals that sustain us, life becomes that much more sacred!