June 5, 2023
“Show hospitality to each other without complaint.” ~1 Peter 4:9 The VOICE
There’s a great ice cream shop in Woodstock, and one very warm afternoon last week, I invited Rod to go with me for a mid-afternoon ice cream date. After parking, we walked up to the door and realized that it wasn’t going to open for another 20 minutes. A woman who works there was using a blower to clean up the sidewalks before opening time. She turned it off, unlocked the door and said “Come on it. We’re not open yet, but I’ll be glad to serve you,” despite our protests. In we went and placed our orders. After paying, she said she’d bring our orders to us, so we went to a table on the back porch to wait.
She arrived with both our ice cream orders and two large glasses of ice water. “That water’s going to taste really good with the ice cream on a day like this.” I didn’t even realize I was thirsty, but she was correct! A few minutes later four young men who looked like high school or college football players arrived, knocked on the door, and she did the same for them.
Inviting us in and serving us before opening time was a kind gesture. Good for business, no doubt, but also hospitable. I flashed back to the last time I went to an outlet mall, arriving fifteen minutes before opening time in order to get a good parking space, then waiting outside the locked door of Talbots. At precisely 10:00 am, a salesperson unlocked the door and let me in. That salesperson was doing her job in a timely and efficient manner. The ice cream lady, on the other hand, went above and beyond doing her job, extending hospitality, including cold glasses of water on a hot afternoon, served with a side of kind words and a smile. That’s showing hospitality without complaint.
May I do the same to others. ~ Anne
Wayfinding 