Last minute can work

Don't assume no one will be free

In general, it’s wise to plan ahead for things that are important to you. For people with busy lives, what we plan tends to happen, while what we mean to do but don’t get on the calendar has a tendency to remain…just a wish.

Sometimes, though, an opportunity for fun presents itself unexpectedly. When that’s the case, there’s no reason not to act on it. If you have an idea for a get-together, don’t wait for the perfect day with lots of notice. People might be available last minute. There’s no harm in reaching out to see.

For instance, if there’s a big blizzard and everyone around you is snowbound, make a pot of chili and invite your neighbors over for supper. Or if you have a great hill in your yard, invite your neighbors over for sledding and hot chocolate.

One of my children hadn’t made plans for New Year’s Eve recently until about the day before. But he texted a bunch of his friends, and several of them wound up being available to come over to spend the night. He was glad he asked!

When I sent out invitations to another child’s birthday party recently, I got a response from a parent asking if my son could come over for a playdate the next day. He had nothing going on, so I was really glad that could happen.

Even when we think we’re going to be busy, sometimes time becomes available. For instance, if you’ve got a work trip that gets canceled, why not try rallying friends to meet up for dinner or drinks? You no doubt cleared those evenings. So now you can use them.

There’s no reason to assume that no one will be free last minute. Sure, some people might be busy, which is why it might be worth asking more than one person. But when you suggest something fun and immediate, people may turn out to be less busy than you think. Who knows — maybe somebody else had something canceled too. Or they just came off a busy work week and didn’t have the energy to think through the weekend, but now that you’ve suggested something…hey! It sounds a lot better than nothing.

And if you extend a last-minute invitation and no one can come? No worries. The people you reached out to are highly likely to suggest gathering another time. Your invitation may still lead to fun and after all!