Hospitality

The ice festival was held this weekend on our town square.  We have gone a couple of times, but never on Friday night when it kicks off with contests and a bonfire inside an ice sculpture.  We decided to go and make an evening of it.  I made reservations at our favorite restaurant on the square.  I had left a message and someone called back to confirm.  When I asked for a table in our favorite spot, the young gal laughed and said that's just when I put you.  Perfect!

We left a few minutes early, which turned out to be a good thing.  Parking was at a premium and we were able to snag the last spot in the lot we usually use.  When we got to the restaurant we saw reservation signs on a couple of tables in the section we had requested.  But, when they went to seat us, they walked right past that towards a table in the back.

I told the hostess what we had requested and she went back to check the reservation book.  An older woman, also working the reception desk, looked at us and said something to the effect of  you'll get what table we give you.  She reminded me of the woman in the old Wendy's commercial satirizing Russian lack of choice.  We looked at each other and walked out.

We drove over to our favorite winery and, when we walked in, were greeted with a warm welcome.  The hostess asked us if we had a favorite spot, either on the main floor or upstairs, and told us to choose whatever table we wanted.  We chose the table near the fireplace and proceeded to have a relaxed and enjoyable meal.

Not that the table you sit at in a restaurant is a big deal, but what a difference in the attitude was at these two places.  At one we were expected but treated with distain.  The other was generous and cordial with our arrival.  They showed the true spirit of hospitality.

This all got me thinking about how we act toward the surprise visitor, the uninvited guest.  Do we welcome them in?  Offer them a drink or even a meal?  Do they know we are glad to see them?

It's easy when an event or visit is planned.  We clean the house, buy the right food and their favorite beverage, put music on or light a fire.  But how do we act when the doorbell rings when we weren't expecting it?  If we can do it with generosity and kindness, to me, that's true hospitality.


AMDG