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Women, It’s Okay to Compliment Each Other
You can change someone’s day
Children dart around clumps of adults clutching beers and glasses of wine while lost in conversation. On the stage near the parking lot entrance, a band plays crowd favorites and a few women self-consciously do the middle-aged, white woman step-and-shuffle. Carnival games line the perimeter of the parking lot and two tents with table and chairs dominate the middle of the venue.
A good portion of my neighborhood has come out for the annual Fall Festival — if not for the entertainment than for the unlimited booze and barbecue. Most of my friends are here and spread out across the space. I flit between groups, saying hello and confirming after-party plans.
In the past, my anxiety would have turned me into a stressed out mess at an event like this. I would have worried about who was there, who I could latch on to, and run through dozens of disaster scenarios. I wouldn’t be able to relax and would easily drink too much to cope.
But on this pleasantly warm, late September day, I’m at ease. Laughs and giggles fill the air, and I smile. Despite my neighborhood’s many flaws, there is a strong sense of community that I appreciate.
As a little girl barrels toward me, I step right to avoid her, my water bottle hangs from my fingertips. She runs off toward…
