The theme? A fabulous beach party, with a mandatory dress code: wear your best ADDICTED! swimwear and beachwear. For me it was a no-brainer; I donned the sunset themed bikini that I had submitted as my entry in Harlyn's fashion challenge, feeling a buzz of excitement as I did so. This was going to be good.
I’ll be perfectly honest, though: that initial excitement quickly morphed into a familiar, low hum of social anxiety as I arrived. While Oli, who had kindly invited me, was a friendly face, and I of course knew the birthday girl having hosted a couple of times on my defunct Text To Speech Podcast, the guest list was a dazzling array of her closest friends and fashion insiders — people I recognised from afar but had never actually spoken to. My default setting in these situations is to find a quiet corner and become one with the wallpaper, and that’s exactly what I set out to do, licking my way through multiple lollipops while trying to look pleasantly occupied.
The setup was perfect. The venue was decked out with tiki torches, strings of fairy lights, and the sound of gentle waves provided the ultimate soundtrack. We were all instructed to gather in a large circle on the decking, the anticipation building with every minute we waited for the guest of honour to arrive. I found a spot where I hoped I’d blend in, my heart already doing a nervous little tap dance.
Suddenly, a hush fell over the circle. Oli gave the signal. She was here.
Harlyn walked in, and the collective shout of "SURPRISE!" was pure, unadulterated joy. The look on her face—absolute shock, instantly melting into overwhelmed happiness—was worth every second of anxious waiting. She was beaming, her hands flying to her face as she took in the scene of all her loved ones, a sea of colour and style from her own collections, all there for her.
As if that moment wasn’t perfect enough, we all looked up. The timing was impeccable. A tiny plane buzzed overhead, and right on cue, it began its work. Against the brilliant blue sky, it spelled out a breath taking message: "HAPPY BIRTHDAY LYNBUM!* It was an epic, unforgettable touch that had everyone gasping and pointing at the sky. Pure magic.
What happened next was the most beautiful and genuine part of the evening. As the sky writing began to gently fade, Harlyn started making her way around our circle. This wasn't a quick, generic thank-you. She took her time. She stopped in front of every single person, looked them in the eye, and gave them a real, heartfelt hug. You could see her sharing a laugh with old friends, thanking acquaintances, and truly absorbing the love that had been poured into this surprise for her. It was a slow, beautiful procession of gratitude and connection.
As the party broke from the circle and settled into a lively mix of chatting and dancing, I found myself drifting back towards my quiet corner, happy to just observe the festivities. But the night had one more surprise in store for me. Just as I was settling into my role as professional people-watcher, Jess showed up, spotted me, and immediately came over to keep me company. Having someone to chat with completely changed the rest of the evening for me. Thank you, Jess—you have no idea how much that meant!
It was a night of incredible surprises—from a sky-writing plane to the power of a simple, kind gesture from a new friend. But the biggest surprise, perhaps, was a reminder that in a community full of so many creative and friendly people, you’re never really in a corner alone.
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