Always invite Anna Date: September 22, 2025 Read time: 2 minutes Summary In college, the author made a few friends who would often go out on Friday nights to party. Among them was Anna, a quiet and studious girl from Alabama who always declined invitations, often citing study obligations. Over time, others stopped inviting Anna except for Alexei, a kind and accomplished friend who persistently invited her despite her constant refusals. One night, before heading to a party, Alexei insisted on inviting Anna again. Although she declined, Alexei explained his reason: he invited her not expecting her to join but to ensure she always felt included in the group. Years later, the author met Anna again, who shared how difficult her first semester had been due to homesickness. She expressed gratitude for feeling like she had a family away from home because the group continually included her—even if she never partied with them. Key points Friend group often went out on weekends except Anna, who was focused on studying. Alexei, a valedictorian and kind person, always invited Anna to make her feel included. Anna never accepted but appreciated being invited. Feeling included gave Anna a sense of belonging during a challenging time away from her family. --- Latest posts from Sharif Shameem The 28 AI tools I wish existed (Sep 4, 2025) Discusses the gap between powerful AI models and the tools that utilize them. How to Solve Hard Problems (May 11, 2022) Insights from how scientific geniuses approached difficult problems. How to Engineer Flow (Jun 3, 2021) Tips for maximizing productivity with limited time. On Steve Jobs (Jun 3, 2021) Reflection on Jobs’ philosophy on computing. See more posts --- Sharif Shameem © 2025 Tweet @sharifshameem