In my young adult years, I had a hard time being seen for who I was.
I was always identified by where I grew up, whose sister I was or who I hung out with. Although I loved those aspects of myself, I was more.
As years went on, I had to make choices for my happiness. Choices often opposite of what I thought was expected of me. That meant becoming vulnerable to change and criticism.
That shift came with a yearning to experience more of what life had to offer. I began to look outside the walls put in place by others and myself to live a life God wanted me to live.
I began to capture these experiences in my writing. This became a way for me to purge, process and heal.
This blog is that journey and it continues. A journey full of love, tears, pride and lots of laughs.
Thanks for joining me.
The Imprint Left on my Heart from The Congo - Hospitality
The two-week emotional ride in the land of my ancestors with a rich, complex history, can’t be fully explored in a single blog post. But there is one thought that rises to the top of the entire experience:
What does it mean to extend hospitality and what does it mean to receive it?
Losing a Friend
Marnita was a friend, but I never told her that. I cared for her and was frustrated by her. Although we disagreed on many things, we could agree on what was funny. We laughed together like nobody’s business.
No, I Don't Want Your Jewelry
When my father passed away, I remember loading my Ford Edge with suits, hats, coats, and sweaters to donate to a clothing ministry in Columbus. These were only a fraction of the items from his closet.
Considering all the material items left being by our loved ones when they pass, I ask a question and confirm a fact, “How do we collect so much stuff to be left behind? And, “All that stuff means nothing compared to the chance to talk with that person one more time.”
HospItality
The quality or disposition of receiving and treating guests and strangers in a warm, friendly, generous way.
As a tourism professional, I understand how to show hospitality from a professional point of view. I made a career of it for many years. Beginning as a front desk agent at a 4-diamond hotel, I became a sales manager for a convention center after years of work in the industry. On a personal level, my definition of hospitality was broader.