We all have those people in our community who just radiate creativity and
warmth. For me, and for so many others, that person is Harlyn, the incredible
talent behind the iconic ADDICTED! fashion brand, which recently engaged so
many, myself included, in a wonderful fashion challenge. So, when my friend
Oli slid into my DMs with a top-secret mission—a surprise birthday party for
Harlyn—I was genuinely thrilled to be included.
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.
