Friday 1 March 2013 - Party host

This month I turn 26. And I haven't been all that keen on the idea of throwing myself a party. Firstly because somehow 26 just feels like a non-celebratory number and secondly because I think I actually could be turning 76 for how disinterested I've been in "partying" lately. I was determined that the best idea would be going to dinner with my husband and some close friends. Or eating pizza at home in pyjama's. Either would do. (though I was secretly leaning towards the pizza and PJs).

Then when I was walking past a stand this morning at the train station a flyer caught my eye. "Host a Big Dinner Party" it suggested. I wanted to know why the flyer was telling me to do so and when I read that it was suggested as part of a national effort to fundraise for those effected by MS I knew that it was something I wanted to do.

Most often when people are suffering with an illness there are a few pressing questions they want answered. "What caused this?" and "How can I fix this?." Sufferers of MS do not currently have an answer to either. The disease, that affects the central nervous system, can come on without warning and interfere with the transmission of nerve impulses throughout the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves. The organization I'm fundraising for helps to provide support to Australians currently living with the disease as well as fund important research into the condition with the goal of one day finding the cure.

I think most of my reluctance to throw a birthday party was not feeling that all the effort of hosting one was worth it (especially for such an insignificant number as 26!). But I do love to throw parties. And play party games. And drink wine. And this cause is definitely worth the effort.

I can eat pizza in my pyjamas some other night.