Carpe annum

Editor's note: I did not take Latin. I have no idea if I translated the title correctly. Please advise if you know Latin.

One of my best friends here in Knoxville is one of those amazing souls that are hard to find. Around this time last year she took a good hard look at her life and realized she wasn't living it. She was down, she rarely got out, she felt boring. So she decided to throw a party for a few of her gal pals and a couple of other gals she didn't know well, but thought she might get along well with (myself being in the latter group). It was a perfect mix of people. We ate well, thanks to her, and we joked and laughed and talked about serious matters and left that evening with a renewed spirit.

Our hostess was only just beginning. Her next 12 months were spent taking in life. She dined at good restaurants, she checked out every cultural event possible, she went on trips -- if someone was around, she brought them along, but she didn't wait for anyone to accompany her either. She gathered people at her home, she called on people when things were wrong, she played wingwoman when it was needed (and sometimes when it wasn't :).

I stole this photo from Modern Jigsha. I hope she doesn't mind.

When my last relationship fell apart in January and after all the initial offers of sympathy were gone, she was the one to keep checking on me and get me out of the house. She urged me to join her at the '80s dance club on a regular basis. She took me on a spur-of-the-moment road trip when I found out a guy I was interested in didn't feel the same. She pushed me into giving the now Modern Fella a chance when I wasn't sure I was ready to date again.

So when she threw another party this week to mark the year that had gone by since her first party, I committed to going, come hell, high water or inconvenient work schedule. In fact, everyone returned. And the stories we all have are amazing. New loves are in our lives, new hobbies have been taken up, one gal got married, one gal rejected an asshole that needed to be rejected.

But everyone still had the same spirit that they left with a year ago.

I don't know anyone who gets more out of their life now than Modern Jigsha gets. I wish everyone had someone like her in their life, but to those of you who don't -- be that person in your friends' lives. MJ has touched so many of us, and we're all better for it a year later. You could do the same.