We all have that friend. 

She’s the social coordinator, the connector, the one who drags everyone away from work and chores and life to come together as a group. Let’s for illustrative purposes, call this familiar friend-group role-player… Erin. 

Maybe she’s an unapologetic extrovert…
Maybe she played a litany of team sports growing up (and captained them all)…
Maybe she gave the best maid of honor toast, ever…
Maybe in her own wedding, had north of 14 people in her bridal party…
Maybe she’s so good at connecting people, she does it for a living at Twitter…
These are totally just hypotheticals…
(Hi Erin!)

I want to talk about people like Erin. Because I am not an Erin. I tend to hermit when given the opportunity. Often I’m overwhelmed in groups greater than 8 people. Most nights I retreat home to read poetry or dorky business magazines. And I love running alone.

But I miss Erin. I miss her putting dinner reservations on my work calendar. I miss her threatening to come over to my apartment to drag me out for drinks with our friends. I miss her inviting herself to run with me when she saw me lacing up my shoes. I miss her looking for every excuse, every window, every opportunity to bring us together. I’m pretty sure she got married because she thought it was critical we all find ourselves in the same physical location this year (Peter… you’re great… but let’s be real). 

So what secret does Erin know? What incredible combination of knowledge, motivation, and ability cause her to go to such great lengths to keep us all connected throughout the years. 

It’s not as much what Erin knows… it’s what she feels - far greater than any one of us. Erin feels the magic of being together. The way laughter soaks through your skin and makes a home in your heart. The way that no one remembers the venue or food or topics of conversation - just that we were all there, all together, and it was nice. And Erin knows that magic isn’t found — it’s made. By people like her that bring people together. It’s a gift, and like me, the world is thankful for the Erin’s who fill our hearts, memories, and calendars. 

Sometimes, the Erin’s of the world — the connectors —aren’t just people. They can be places (that lovely neighborhood coffee shop), ideas (intersectional feminism!), events (Friendsgiving), or activities (yes… running). So this holiday season — we have a challenge for our community, because we need you to help us create this magic IRL! Here’s how you can join in on this very important fun. 

1.     Gather: Share your favorite ways to bring people together during the busy holiday season in the comments section of the blog. 

2.     Post: Post your best gathering pics on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook with #RunGathering to be featured in our Holiday campaign!

3.     Win! We’ll be picking the best gatherings each week and sending winners a limited edition Oiselle print — made by illustrator Filippa Edghill.

Let’s give each other the gift of gathering this holiday season and celebrate our runfamily near and far. 

Head Up, Wings Out!