November theme: HOSPITALITY

Heart sister Rose voluteered to share her thoughts on this month's theme of hospitality. Rose has been through a tremendous amount this year and yet has been adamant about continuing to do what she loves...hosting family and friends. Thank you Rose for your contribution!

(Kenna...I need link to your Back to Work essay pretty please so I can add it here. Many thanx)

Hospitality

"Hospitality is something I learned as a very young girl. I am one of 11 kids. I am the 3rd youngest. My dad died when I had just turned 8 years old. My mom was left with 11 kids ages 3 to 18. We were poor but I remember my mom talking to other women about the lunch that was needed for after the funeral. People would be by and must be served food and beverages.

Now my mom had to go to work. She became a part-time waitress because she could work late after the older ones got home from school to watch us younger ones. She would tell us about her customers who would ask for her by name because she always took such good care of them. She was hospitable.

Our house was always the house everyone wanted to hang out at. On any given night there would be 15 to 20 people sitting on the living room floor watching TV. My mom would make a big two gallon pot of popcorn and everyone got a bowl. She was hospitable to all of our friends.

I love my family and friends and I like to spend time with them. My home is always open to anyone who needs a place where someone cares about them. I am the official party queen of the family and I like that role for the time being. I can see where that may change due to health reason but we all face problems with our health every day and we learn to cope.

I have recently learned that I cannot just be hospitable but I must accept hospitality too. During my recent recovery from breast cancer someone came to my house each night with dinner for my husband and me for the first week or so. I did not say no, we don’t need any help. I understood that they felt helpless and needed to feel like they were contributing to my recovery. They were hospitable.

So hospitality lets us show others how much we care about them and it lets them show how much they care about us. Hospitality is another word for generosity. Be generous with you your love and let others be generous to you.

November is a time of Thanksgiving. Even though all have many problems let’s try to take time to be thankful for the small things in our lives, the touch of a baby’s skin, the kiss of a lover or husband, the joy in a child or grandchild’s eyes when they see us. I could go on and on but we all know the things in our hearts that we are grateful for.

I wish each and every one of you and your families a wonderful Thanksgiving. Let us take care of ourselves while being Miss Hospitality and putting on the Thanksgiving feast. Of course we will never let anyone know how much it really cost us because we are all queens of hospitality.

Love,

Rose

2009 Monthly Theme Suggestions

January - Starting Over, Jaynie
https://www.inspire.com/member-journal/entry/starting-over-jan-2009-the-nam ed-heart/

February - Love & Romance, Martha
http://www.inspire.com/groups/womenheart/discussion/february-theme-love-and -romance/

March - DREAMS, CJ

April - Prosperity, Penny

May - Health & Beauty

June: Parents & Children..Dana (thank you!)
http://www.inspire.com/groups/womenheart/discussion/june-theme-parents-and- children/

July: Freedom...Heartbroken (& son !!)

August - Appreciation...Lidia from United Kingdom : )
http://www.inspire.com/groups/womenheart/discussion/august-appreciation/


September - Work...Kenna

October - Laughter...carmelbabe (thanks!!)

November - Hospitality....Rose (hospitality queen)

December - Personal Beliefs - Sherrie (thanks HRAM Sis!)



A big thanks for everyone who has chosen to host a theme. All it requires is posting your thoughts, reflections, tips and coping strategies you have learned and would like to share.... My suggestion is that you post it as a 'new discussion or journal' with your topic headline at the start of the month your topic is slated to appear. These topics are meant to address how to live these aspects of our lives now that heart issues are here to stay.

And we can always come up with other themes....These are just starter ideas. Feel free to suggest one that appeals to you. For those times we are not able to make physical changes, we always have these other aspects of life to work on, think about, help other people with.

Jaynie