"I think you have the gift of hospitality," my mother told me when I was hosting dinner guests. "You love preparing meals and make things look so effortless."
What I didn't tell mother is that I started preparing for that dinner party a week ahead of time. Entertaining takes much preparation if it is to look effortless. However, those with the gift of hospitality love what they do.
Wikipedia defines hospitality as the relationship between guest and host. This includes the reception and entertainment of guests.
A person can tell if they have the gift of hospitality. The question we need to ask ourselves is whether we enjoy entertaining those who come to our house.
But there's another side to the coin. Do guests enjoy coming to our home?
I have a friend with an antiseptic house. When I walk in, I'm always afraid I'm going to stain the carpeting or accidentally destroy something. Even though the house is very elegant, I find myself watching the clock. A few minutes feels like a few hours. Antiseptic houses are most often chilly in the winter and never smell of baking bread.
On the other hand, my friend Katherine has a slightly messy house. Her grandchildren take their shoes off at the door. However, they throw them into a pile of other shoes in the corner. The house is cluttered, but comfortable.
Last time she hosted a party, I was having such a blast that I lost track of time. "Are you tired?" I asked when I saw her yawn.
"Soon I'll have to start fixing us breakfast," she remarked.
Looking at the clock, I exclaimed, "It can't be 3 a.m.! We have to go to church tomorrow!"
People love spending time at the home of a good host. Guests are comfortable, feeling like they can be themselves.
There's always such good food at Glenna's house. Those with the gift of hospitality do not mind when others stop by unannounced. They're always ready to entertain.
"Let me get my cinnamon rolls out of the freezer," Glenna told me. "We'll pop a couple in the microwave while our coffee's brewing." Her impromptu feast was absolutely delicious.
Glenna spends many hours cooking and freezing. However, guests never see the preparation. They only witness the gourmet spreads she pulls out at the drop of a hat.
My Uncle Mike and Aunt Barb have always been gifted hosts. They're snowbirds who spend winters in Florida. However, friends from the Midwest are constant visitors at their Florida abode.
"I sure enjoyed having our two visitors from Indiana," Uncle Mike confided to me when we talked on the phone last winter. "But I'm tired out. We spent two weeks entertaining and taking them places. I'm not as young as I once was."
Entertaining guests for extended periods of time has never been too much of a challenge for them, though. Aunt Barb has always enjoyed fixing Lumberjack breakfasts for a house full of overnight guests.
My husband Brian loves having people to the house. But the other day, he was grossly disappointed after hosting a union meeting of his co-workers.
"What's the matter, dear?" I asked him.
"Nobody ate my banana bread," he said. "They didn't want any coffee either."
"Didn't they tell you not to make a fuss?"
"But I like to make a fuss," he countered.
Those with the gift of hospitality get their feelings hurt if visitors do not sample their provisions. It's a fact of life.
Laurie Lechlitner can be contacted by email at Laurie lech@aol.com.