feeds
My latest blog (09/17/09) on inviting friends over for dinner struck a nerve with many people.
And, in the interest of keeping alive the custom of dining at home with friends, we invited new friends, Alyssa, Mark and their children around for dinner on Saturday night.
It was one of those delightful evenings – the best kind – where large amounts of food, conversation and laughter flowed unreservedly.
One of our many conversations touched upon the question of what it means to entertain friends. Does the word “entertain” create an expectation in one’s guests that they need to be entertained by their hosts, rather than dinner being a relaxed affair to promote and renew friendships? If the former is the case, I would indeed understand people’s reluctance to throw a dinner party.
At the end of the evening we were loathe to break up the congenial mood, but little ones were falling asleep. With hugs all round, we said goodbye and promised to meet again soon.
Reflecting on the evening, my husband asked me rather intriguingly, “When does a handshake become a hug?”
Do people who find a natural connection from the get-go bypass the handshake and go straight for the hug?
Is a hug rather than a handshake dependant on personality, gender or cultural restrictions?
As you ponder this…..
On an entirely different note, I feel constricted by the relentless bad news in the media. The enormity of the issues facing the country is oppressive and like any addiction, I can’t seem to switch off from listening to it or reading about it.
As a concerned member of society, I want to know what is going on in the world, but in my personal life I try and strive for balance. Too much bad news means my equilibrium is shot to pieces.
Is there any good news out there? Anyone? Do you have good news in your personal life, your family or in your community? If you do, I would gladly have you share it so I have a chance to exercise those oft-forgotten muscles around my mouth and smile.
SUSAN S. CHEUNG
Susan is a freelance writer originally from London, England. She moved to Nashville, Tenn. in July 2008 when her husband accepted a position at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. The family relocated after eight years in Guilderland, New York. And now they have a new home in Franklin, Tenn.
