After my talk with my friend last week, I’ve been on a hospitality kick. What is it, how does it happen, how can we do it better? In my research, I stumbled across a quote by Arnold H. Glasow, which says “Some folks make you feel at home. Others make you wish you were.”
I recently had a long conversation in the home of a friend of mine. Although she’s American, she has spent many years abroad (including Japan and Turkey). Consequently, she has adopted many of the traditions of hospitality that are so common and well-known in Middle Eastern and Asian cultures.
I’ve been going to a counselor for several months now. I started because of some pain that I knew I needed help getting through. In the process, though, I found all sorts of issues that I wasn’t even aware of that needed dealing with. She has repeatedly described the process of counseling as “opening an… Read More You can’t rush healing
I have a memory that’s been etched into my brain for years now. It’s unlikely to be forgotten anytime soon. I was living in South Korea, about halfway through my Fulbright grant year. Ensconced in my bedroom, I was trying to unwind after a long day of work. Although I loved them, I didn’t want… Read More The secret to fulfillment
I recently had 2 very different conversations with 2 very different people. One of them, with Natalya, was engaging, fun, and really helped us connect on a deeper level. The other one, with Sylvia, was flat and uninspiring, and ended quite quickly. The catch? Sylvia is a native English speaker. Natalya has maybe 100… Read More Your attitude makes all the difference
I was recently asked to be in the inaugural class of a new mentoring program between current students and alumni at my alma mater, Berry College. My first reaction was excitement at a regular excuse to return to my beloved college. My second reaction, following closely on the heels of the first, was trepidation. What… Read More You’re not as poor as you may think
In my last post, I talked about my blossoming relationship with a foreign exchange student. But I left out one important detail about Natalya. Natalya has cerebral palsy.
I wrote an article a while ago about the pain ex-pats go through when they return to their native land. (Otherwise known as reverse culture shock.) I was thinking about that article this morning when I went to teach my ESL class. Usually all of my students make their way to class on their own, but… Read More The difference between friendship and charity
I passed a bad accident today. As I drove past the mangled, twisted piles of metal that used to be cars, I was overwhelmed with….nothing. Indifference.
My grandfather is turning 90 next month. I knew this, of course – have known for a long time. The flurry of emails back and forth among family members planning his big birthday bash make it hard to forget. What I didn’t realize until I went to visit him this weekend was just how… Read More How you can get more from doing less
