The happiness of having visitors again

By the time you’re reading this on Saturday, I’ll be enjoying something I haven’t experienced in a while: a visitor!

Throughout the pandemic, our socializing has either been distanced or nonexistent altogether. But now with vaccines, it’s possible for people to see each other more easily and even travel to do so (based on your own comfort level, of course). 

That’s why I’m so excited to be able to open my home to my vaccinated loved ones and embrace them again after so much distance. 

Seeing friends and family not only brings joy in the moment, but it also allows us to make new, shared memories – something that mostly happened through Zoom parties or commiserating phone calls last year. 

Now with more freedom in being together safely, we can make memories in real life with quality meal times and game nights. That sounds so normal in the best way, right?

my colleague Alia E. Dastagir writes. Daily experiences of awe, they argue, should be a regular part of the way we engage with the world.  here.

Today’s reads

• Whether you think Crocs are cool or cringeworthy, they’re having a major moment this summer. Here’s why. 
• Skinny shaming is real. But here’s why experts warn against comparing it to fat shaming.
• Jessie Ware is the underrated pop star you need to know right now, according to our music writer Patrick Ryan. 
• Looking for a less-crowded vacation destination? Here’s why you should consider a “second city” trip.
• Four tricks that 50-somethings can leverage to retire early.

Today’s pet

Meet Cash.

“This is Cash,” writes Julie. “He recently had surgery and I had to share this photo because he is just so adorable in his onesie.”

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More:We need to celebrate LGBTQ joy this Pride Month. Lives depend on it.

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