Togethering like the Porcupines

To me, “togethering” means feeling the love, warmth, and sense of belonging in your ‘village’. It involves sharing laughs, fights, chores, routines, meals (!!), and unscheduled quality time. It brings with it the challenge of negotiating between your own needs and other people’s needs. In this way, togethering is an art, a dance, and a life skill in relationships worth mastering. When we allow ourselves to do this, we show our whole selves to one another - the good, the bad, the ugly, the moody, the idiosyncratic, the unkempt, the messy, and the put-back-together. Sometimes, it calls us to leave our egos at the door (especially after letting them run wild) and coming back to the table to make peace. It’s about living like these smart porcupines, recognizing that thriving together may mean pricking one another now and again. Togethering is about kicking back and sharing both the mundane and meaning of everyday life… and then discovering the incredible meaning in the mundane. When we show up for all of this, we discover the comfort, beauty, and the real gift of being together.

~Amy Hwang