Hospitality is defined as “Cordial and generous reception of or disposition toward guests” Yet another virtue in which I am lacking growth.

It is a very rare occasion there are guests in my home but I try to make them comfortable when they are here. I have invited strangers into my home. I recall once long ago, when I was working as a desk clerk in a local motel, a situation that tested my hospitality. I discovered real fast that, although it was difficult to understand the owners from India, they were cheating hard working Americans by telling lies. They had billboards on the Interstate stating the rooms were $19.95! When poor weary travelers stopped for a cheap room, I was told to check out their car. If it was a nice car, I was instructed to tell them we did not have any of THOSE rooms available. Before it was all said and done, they were charged almost $40 a room, which was double their advertised price. One night an elderly gentleman came in from New York. He was on his way to Florida to attend the funeral of his brother. He thought he could drive all the way through, but realized he could not and because the death was unexpected, he had limited resources for the trip. The owner had a camera and microphone at the desk, watching her desk clerks from her bed in the back. I had gotten in trouble to night before, for renting a room for 19.95. When I informed the man we had no more cheap rooms, I could see despair on his face. I could not handle it anymore. I said “we have no more cheap rooms sir and we never have any cheap rooms because it is a lie, it is a blatant lie to get you in the door and take advantage of you.” I told him I live about 15 minutes away. If he would like to follow me, he could crash in my spare room and eat a hot breakfast in the morning. He was shocked but knew I was serious. I was pleased he took me up on the offer. As the owner ran into the room yelling things I did not understand, I handed her the key and said goodbye…forever. I called my husband and told him to make the bed in the spare bedroom, we had a guest staying the night. He slept well, got a huge country breakfast at 6am, tried to pay me (I refused) and 2 weeks later sent me a thank you card stating he could not believe a stranger would do that in this day and time.

When I think back about it, I guess maybe I could have put us in danger. It never crossed my mind at the time however. All I saw was a sad man in need and a greedy woman taking advantage of the situation. I have a long way to go and a lot of growth to do when it comes to hospitality. And maybe inviting strangers into my home like I did was not the brightest thing to do. But in my heart I felt, to do otherwise, would cheat myself of pride, compassion and the chance to help an individual in need. I do not regret it and feel it is situations such as this that do show me I have the ability to trust again and that I do have compassion in me, even when I try to convince myself I don’t.

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