You all know how it’s going to end and how it begins. You know every single turn, every single twist. You know the punchlines, where this friend pipes in with his or her commentary, where that friend pretends like he or she was there when they really weren’t.
It’s as predictable an activity as you’ll probably ever engage in, but yet you can’t get enough.
I don’t know about you, but one of my favorite things whenever I get back together with my good buddies (from college especially because of how infrequently we’re all together) is sharing an old story. As the resident loudmouth of my group, I’m typically leading these storytelling sessions but I honestly love them regardless of my role.
There’s something amazing about the comfort of these stories. It’s likely tied strongly (or, exclusively) to nostalgia, but it’s just such a great feeling to get back in to that rhythm with your friends. Because, to me, that’s a large part of what makes it so great. You all know each other, you know how to make them laugh, how to get their attention, what they’ll find more interesting than not, where your common interests and backgrounds lie.
It’s like when an old group (that doesn’t hate one another) gets back together. The music itself might not be as crisp as it was 20, 30 years ago, but you can still feel the groove, the harmony.
Polar Opposite of this Feeling?: Sharing a story with someone and then, once you’ve finished, realizing the reason this person isn’t emoting at all is because this story doesn’t actually relate to them (or the group of friends they’re from) at all.
scott spinelli 