It’s been a stressful week, and if I hadn’t promised to be there, I probably would have napped in front of the Nightly News.  Soooo tired…. got to get up. It helped that it was my buddy Elaine’s birthday, and I had planned the cake ‘surprise.’

So I buffed up my makeup (a bit), grabbed my hors d’oeuvres and beverage, and headed out the door. It was Women’s Time Out, a 3^rd Thursday night monthly tradition. Our gathering spot? The Commons at church.

This all started about this time last year, when a few of us bemoaned the fact that, while the Men’s Group was constantly gathering for beer tastings, low country boils and such, we women didn’t have a time to just BE TOGETHER. Without committees. Or tasks to accomplish. No agenda items to complete. Just time to chat, catch up, get to know someone new and just BE. Wow! Now there’s a concept, right?

Women’s Time Out has become a highlight of my calendar each month, and no wonder! Times when we women gather are always refreshing, restorative and rejuvenating. I’m sure you’ve seen the landmark UCLA study that showed that friendships among women actually have a positive physiological impact on our health… as well as on our psyches!

Just in case we needed a ‘reason’ to justify those nights out now and then, we have the official word that when we gather together, we literally FEEL BETTER.

What could be healthier?

So thank you, Jan, Elaine, Alison, Katy, Pat, Cheryl, Elizabeth, Judy and Lisa… for making me feel better tonight just by being together and sharing. YOU are the best medicine!

What’s your favorite way to gather with girlfriends? Do you connect over dinner, coffee, a special place you go? Hope you’ll share with us in the Comments below and we’ll all get a burst of energy from YOUR stories!