#ThisIsWhyIChive

About three summers ago, I was introduced to the Chive. My boyfriend showed me an app on his phone filled with gaps to be minded on Monday’s, Humps of all shapes and sizes every Wednesday, even cat photos on Saturday, these are a few of many funny, risk-ay, and promiscuous photos. At first this is all I thought the Chive is, just a gallery of photos catered to men. Boy, did I have it wrong! I was completely missing the bigger picture.

You see, what I did not know about the Chive is the local chapters that are all over the nation. I did not know about Chive Charities, an organization that strives to “Make the World 10% Happier.” The Chive is not just an app with photos to glance at (or for some, stare very intently). The Chive is a huge community of adults of all ages that “Party with a Purpose.” Friends that come together, have fun, while paying it forward in some way. Often times, it is just us in a bar drinking beer and raising money for worthy causes. Other times, it is running or walking in marathons or volunteering for life changing organizations.

                When I first found our city’s local chapter on Facebook and joined their group, it was an instant community. I had found the honey hole of friends in a way. The amount of welcome, love and friendliness that radiated from the group off to me is something I will never forget. Men and women, all very different and unique people, brought together by one common factor…the Chive. Even though we all lived in the same city, I probably would have never met some of these wonderful people if it were not for that app. Over the years, it became more of a family, not just a social group.

                At 3am, One could put out an SOS and have at least a dozen people immediately reach out to help. A family could suffer from a natural disaster and a plan would be put into place for what we can do to help. Even as little as needing an ear to listen, or a shoulder to cry on, someone would always be there. If you needed a place to sleep or food on the table, friends would join forces and support you. A family among friends. Even if that means someone giving up being able to drink on New Year’s Eve, so that there will be a designated driver for everyone else. We make a valiant effort to live by the golden rule.

                With that being said, we are far from perfect and even sometimes we have to be brought back to why we joined the group in the first place. We have to take a step back from the drama that always tries to reign, and remember that we must always, “Keep Calm and Chive On.” Occasions will occur when emotions run high, and disagreements are made, but overall everything always has a way of working out in the end. I have learned over time, while getting to know all of the wonderful people in our chapter, that each person secretly possesses the same type of trait. No, I don’t mean that we all can drink like fish. We all have humility. We all have at one point humbly put someone else before us. Whether it was family, or even another Chiver, it was like second nature, no hesitation, just love.

                I chive because that’s when memories get made. I chive to spend Sunday brunch drinking mimosas with my friends. I chive because on Tuesday’s we play trivia, and on Thursday’s we play bingo. I chive because when you get us together, there is nothing we can’t accomplish, that is, with the help of a little liquid courage of course! Underneath the funny T-shirts, aside from all the pictures, we are just a “Drinking Organization with a Charity Problem.”