As I chase the many items on my bucket list, it seems that friends come and go from my life. But I recently read somewhere that “Friends are like stars, they come and go but the ones that stay are the ones that glow!” This is so very true as I grow older. That is why several years ago, I decided to create something I call The Wizard of Oz Dinner. For me it was a way to take the time to take to gather a couple of close friends and tell them, “Thank You for your friendship!”

Disclaimer: I struggled with wanting to tell this story on my blog. Not because I am embarrassed to share my feelings, but because in no way do I want to brag about what I did. After much consideration, I am sharing it to hopefully inspire others to tell their friends and/or family that they love them while they still have time. Oh and if I haven’t told you lately, “Thank You for your friendship and I love you!”

Saying “Thank you for your friendship” is important

Why is it so hard for us to say to those loyal friends, “Thank you for your friendship?”  Is it a sign of weakness as adults to open up and showcase our real feelings to our friends?

I don’t think so.

In fact, I believe just the opposite. In my opinion, showing your sensitive side, especially in a public setting, is a sign that of strength and a big heart.

So, what does all of this have to do with The Bucket List Project? How did saying “Thank You for your friendship” end up on our Bucket List?

Well, when I created The Bucket List Project, I found it extremely easy to add Travel and Adventure Activities to my list. But when talking with older members of Generation X, one of their biggest regrets was not telling those close to them, “thank you for your friendship!”  With this revelation, I created The Helping Others List, as a way to not only help others with their bucket list dreams but also show them that they inspire me.

Why is it so hard to tell friends what they mean to us? It doesn't have to be! Several years ago, Eric gathered a couple of friends & did just that. Go Behind the Scenes of a Wizard of Oz Dinner! #WizardOfOz #Friendship #ShowYouCare Click To Tweet

Behind the scenes of the Wizard of Oz Dinner

If you are a member of Gen X or any generation, there is no doubt you have seen the Wizard of Oz movie. But did you know that the author, Frank Baum, not only wrote The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, but 14 other Oz Books? When I found this out, I immediately added reading all 15 Wizard of Oz Books to my Personal Growth Bucket List!

Whether you read the books or saw the classic movie, no one can forget the famous scene when Oscar Zoroaster Phadrig Isaac Norman Henkle Emmannuel Ambroise Diggs, aka: The Wizard of Oz, gives gifts to the four main characters. When I read this and then how their gifts were used, it inspired me to give similar gifts to the great characters in my life.

But how could I do it? Like Oscar said in the book, “I’m a very good man (At least I try to be). I’m just a very bad Wizard.” Still, how do I give away Brains, a Heart, Courage, or Adventure, to tell my friends “thanks for your friendship?”

Simple: I would choose 4 friends to become the characters of OZ, trick them into coming to dinner, tell them how much they mean to me, and give special gifts to highlight their unbelievable traits. Perhaps, this could be the best way I could say, “Thank You for your friendship!”

Dinner with the characters from Oz

It may seem cheesy to hold a themed dinner party, but if you know me at all, then you know I ooze cheesiness. I also found that it helped me express my feelings through the characters I read in the Wizard of Oz. Plus, it was weird how four of my closest friends seemed to match perfectly with the needs of the four travelers in the book.

So let us meet the four individual characters who joined me for dinner and see how I found ways to say, “thank you for your Friendship!”

1) The Scarecrow gets his diploma

“You don’t need ‘brains’. You are learning something everyday. A baby has brains, but it doesn’t know much. Experience is the only thing that brings knowledge, and the longer you are on earth the more experience you are sure to get.” ― Frank L. Baum, The Wizard of Oz

I met Mike when we both attended Holy Cross High School in New Orleans back in the early ’90s. He was a great guy who always looked out for me growing up. But even though Mike was from a Holy Cross legacy, he never finished high school. When he left, it really bothered me that my good friend wouldn’t finish with myself and the rest of the class. I was sure I would never see him again.

But something weird happened. He kept in touch. He took the time to always talk with me in good times and bad. I loved talking to him because he was always learning something new, trying new experiences, and discovering new passions. He went to culinary school and became a great chef. Then, he decided to work offshore where he became a Captain of a boat!

What was amazing to my small mind was he did all of this without a Holy Cross High School diploma. So I had to take action and show him how much his quest to grow, learn, and experience life always inspired me!

So how did this Bad Wizard give the Scarecrow “Brains”?

“Can’t you give me brains?” asked the Scarecrow. ― Frank L. Baum, The Wizard of Oz

Now, I cannot give nor did I try to give Mike “Brains”! Besides, he obviously has enough to go around. But I did want to express to Mike how much he inspires me; without performing a lobotomy.

In the book, the Wizard gives the Scarecrow a mixture of bran with pins and needles as a symbol of his “Bran-New Brains!” However, in the movie, the only thing separating Scarecrow from other great thinkers in Oz was a diploma  which the Wizard hands him.

Now, I can’t formally hand out diplomas, but at Holy Cross we have a very important creed, called the Holy Cross Man. It represents everything that the boys of Holy Cross in New Orleans strive to be as the grow into Men. To me, it represents everything Mike is and will forever be.

So, I took my own personal graduation tassel and framed it with a special copy of the Holy Cross Man and a picture of our old campus where our friendship began. At dinner, I expressed my gratitude in front of our other guests, presented him with the symbol of the Brains he always had, and hugged him!

2) The Tin Man gets his Heart

“Why, as for that,” answered Oz, “I think you are wrong to want a heart. It makes most people unhappy. If you only knew it, you are in luck not to have a heart.”
“That must be a matter of opinion,” said the Tin Woodman. “For my part, I will bear all the unhappiness without a murmur, if you will give me the heart.” ― Frank L. Baum, The Wizard of Oz

I have never met a more loving man than Joe. I met him when we both attended Holy Cross High School in New Orleans, as well. Though, it was strange. We were never “close” friends. But that doesn’t ever matter to Joe! With his large smile, he will walk right up to you and hug you so tight your ribs will beg for mercy while your heart overflows with joy. He is just that guy! You can’t not be happy when Joe is around. Plus if you ever get a chance to hear him sing anything, you will hear his love of life and music flowing from his voice.

Not only is he lovable, Joe also shows love towards others. One of the most amazing things he ever did was one day in January 2013, he and his friend friend Dane each ran 52.4 miles. or the length of 2 marathons! They did this because their close friend Nicole had it on her bucket list to run a full marathon. However, she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer and couldn’t gather the strength to run. So Joe and Dane decided to raise funds for Nicole’s treatments and expenses and ran 52.4 miles. That is one marathon for themselves and one for Nicole Teague.

So how did this Bad Wizard give the Tin Man a “Heart”?

“How about my heart?” asked the Tin Woodman. ― Frank L. Baum, The Wizard of Oz

So how on earth does a guy like Joe possibly need a heart? From what I can already tell, his has to be at least 4 times bigger than anyone’s in the world!

Joe is a Holy Cross Man 100%. In fact, it was how I tricked him into coming to the dinner. I told him I needed a Holy Cross Alumnae that Mike, my Scarecrow, knows to help me present the Holy Cross Man to him. When I told him about my “idea” for Mike, he had to be there! Not long before this dinner, we had a Holy Cross High School reunion. Many of our classmates were there catching up and enjoying themselves, especially Joe. But he seemed a bit sad, which is very unlike him! When I asked his wife, Jeanne, what was wrong, she told me that Joe was kind of bummed seeing some of us wear our old Senior Class Rings. She proceeded to tell me that his original ring was stolen from his home not long after graduation and it devastated him. To think that this man who bleeds Navy Blue and Gold and could be the heart of our Graduating class was missing a piece of his heart.

So, I called our alma mater and asked them how to get an exact replica of my class ring. Then with a little luck, I was able to present him this symbol of his missing heart, for the price of a hug! For me, this was one of the best ways to tell Joe, “thank you for your friendship!”

3) The Cowardly Lion gets his Courage

 

“You have plenty of courage, I am sure,” answered Oz. “All you need is confidence in yourself. There is no living thing that is not afraid when it faces danger. True courage is in facing danger when you are afraid, and that kind of courage you have in plenty.”  ― Frank L. Baum, The Wizard of Oz

When I started working on The Bucket List Project, there was always one guy who would take the time to talk to me about my insane trips and adventures, Steve. I met Steve after he graduated college through his brother Dave. When I met him, we immediately clicked. Perhaps this was because of our mutual love for the outdoors that we both obtained through the scouts, regardless it is an easy friendship. Plus, Steve is a guys guy! He drives a truck, plays lacrosse, and likes winding down with a good cocktail or cold beer.

For me, Steve appeared during some tough times in my life. Yet, despite my struggles, he never walked away. He was always available to talk, deal with challenges, or just grab a drink and be present. His friendship has always meant the world to me.

So how did this Bad Wizard give the Cowardly Lion “Courage”?

“But how about my courage?” asked the Lion, anxiously.  ― Frank L. Baum, The Wizard of Oz

So first off, let me say that it pains me to use the adjective “Cowardly” when relating to Steve. I mean, he is a Guys Guy through and through! Plus, I really don’t want him to smack me with that lacrosse stick cause those guys are crazy tough!

When talking about our bucket lists, the number one thing Steve always talked about doing was going skydiving! Like I said, the boy is kind of crazy because if you have ever read my Anti-Bucket List, then you know that Skydiving is a big No-No on that list! But for Steve, he would go on and on about how he couldn’t wait to try it. So, when I found out and told him he could skydive at Gold Coast Skydiving an hour outside of New Orleans, I thought he was going to jump in his car and drive there immediately. But he didn’t.

So that is when I took action. I contacted Gold Coast and obtained ONE jump (cause Lord knows I wasn’t jumping too) for Steve. Then at dinner, I gave him this token of his courage and shared what he has meant being there in my life. What better way to say thank you for your friendship than helping a great friend fulfill his own bucket list dreams.

4) Dorothy goes on a trip

“if I ever go looking for my heart’s desire again I won’t look any further than my own back yard Because if it isn’t there I never really lost it to begin” ―  Dorothy, from the movie: The Wizard of Oz

I met Sarah at Loyola University New Orleans our freshman year so many years ago. We instantly became friends because we were both in the music program and she is absolutely one of the most fun characters I’ve ever met. When you first look at her and her beagle, Miss Betty, you may not think wild bucket list adventurer. But don’t let this first impression mislead you, she has had some of the coolest adventures around the world!

For me, Sarah has also been a mainstay when so many friends move on. But what makes her special is that she goes out of her way to try and maintain that relationship. Don’t get me wrong, trying to have a normal text message conversation with her gives me grey hairs as it sometimes takes forever to get a response. But, what I love is that she ALWAYS responds and is always suddenly there when you truly need her.

Perhaps, that is why it was easy to see her as Dorothy.

So how did this Bad Wizard give the Dorothy her “trip home”?

“Oh, I don’t think there’s anything in that black bag for me!”― Dorothy, from the movie: The Wizard of Oz

To be honest, the Wizard failed at getting Dorothy home in both the book and movie versions. So how could I tell Sarah, “thanks for your friendship” in a Wizard of Oz sort of way?

Well, let’s rewind a little bit. First of all I had to get Sarah to show up to help me with these gifts. To be honest, I am not even sure how this humbug wizard even convinced her to attend. But like she always magically does, she was there in full force. So I had to try.

In the story, the Wizard tries to get Dorothy home by flying her over the impassable desert via hot air balloon. But we all know that didn’t work and since I don’t have a hot air balloon either, I got her a Southwest gift Card from Raise instead. That way she could fly anywhere she wanted with a simple click of her heels and maybe some computer keys! So with that, an Elvis record, and a simple hug, I was able to thank her for always being a good friend.

“Home Again”

Fyi – “Home Again” is the final chapter in Frank L. Baum’s actual The Wizard of Oz.

So, lets bring you home again. If you have made it this far then you have gone all the way behind the scenes of a Wizard of Oz Dinner. Thank you for allowing me to share my story. I hope that this post helps you think of ways to tell your own friends, “thank you for your friendship!”

Have you ever told your friends how much they inspire you? Is it on your bucket list to be better at expressing gratitude? What is one way you recently showed a friend how much you appreciate them?

Let us know in the comments below what you think or what you did and maybe you will help someone else with their bucket list dreams!

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