Room at the table

Hospitality begins with making space.

A place, not a performance

An open door is a simple image, but it asks something practical of us. Welcoming another person takes time, attention and space. It does not require an impressive house or a perfectly arranged meal. It requires a willingness to let someone else be real in our company.

Listening is also a welcome

We can offer room in a conversation as well as in a home. A question without an immediate correction, a pause without impatience, a story allowed to finish: these are small forms of hospitality. They honour the person before they solve the problem.

Keep it ordinary

Think of one modest welcome that is possible this week. Share a meal, send a thoughtful message, or listen without reaching for the next thing to say. The point is not to count generous acts. It is to become more available to the people already near us.

A prompt for reflection, not a rule for getting the day right.