I believe in hospitality.  Over the years we’ve tried very hard not to turn down any of the kids’ request to open up our home to their friends.  Once I was woken up by one of those middle of the night calls-it was our son and I was so relieved to hear that he was okay, that when he told me that it was last call and he had told that band at the Zoo that they could crash at our place-I immediately agreed.  (As I fell back to sleep I remembered that my husband was away and wondered if I had done the right thing).  Well besides the fact that they used a lot of water -all having showers and washing their clothes in the middle of the night, I didn’t even know that they had been there.

Daughter #2 and her BF lead a youth group and wanted to treat them to a Christmas banquet.  The menu was traditional Christmas offerings but it really would not have mattered what was served-it was that they were assembled around one table of friendship.  They did want the kids to experience a formal setting and served them in courses. 

I think the evening was a hit based on the hilarity that went on while we were upstairs watching a season finale.  At the dinner table the gang were perfect ladies and gentlemen.

Kath’s quote:  “The ultimate aim of civility and good manners is to please: to please one’s guest or to please one’s host. To this end one uses the rules laid down by tradition: of welcome, generosity, affability, cheerfulness and consideration for others. People entertain warmly and joyously. To persuade a friend to stay for lunch is a triumph and a precious honour. To entertain many together is to honor them all mutually. It is equally an honour to be a guest.”-Claudia Roden

practice radical hospitality

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