The Biggest Part of Hospitality Is....

What is the biggest part of hospitality? What is the most important element? What's the universal commonality in every culture, place, and time?

I'm glad you asked.

It's spending quality time with people!

All the money in the world, skills,and resources are pointless if they aren't used to enhance relationships with others (ask any wealthy but neglected child).

I credit a lot of this lesson I've learned to my time in Africa. Granted, Africa has issues just like anywhere else, but they know how to stop and take time for people! My Egyptian friends would call me every few days if they hadn't seen me to ask how I was doing and say they missed me. We would spend hours in Sudan sipping tea with friends and talking about life. This idea of "slowing life down" and chilling is also something that people look back on fondly when they reminisce about the "good old days."

Did this require lots of money? No. Did it require a nice dining room with fancy dishes and a table big enough to fit everyone? Nope. Did it require a perfectly clean and trendy house? No way. It simply required time.

Here are some pictures of a couple recent events I've attended with the girls on my floor. We know that there's just no substitute for spending time with each other and having fun to strengthen our relationships!