Welcome. What a lovely word. Welcome to my home. Nothing pleases me more than to stand at my front door and welcome guests arriving with smiles on their faces, in anticipation of having a good time.
Welcome: “a person whose arrival gives pleasure,” says the dictionary. Come and be well. I try never to have people to my house whose arrival does not give me pleasure. I always want to be honest when I say the word, “Welcome.”
My parents taught me early on that entertaining was really an act of generosity. Welcoming people into your home, whether it be for a cup of coffee or a huge bash, is like giving everyone a gift. For me, entertaining has always been about following the golden rule. Treat your guests the way you would like to be treated. I want each guest who is welcomed into my home to feel like the honored guest. I want people to leave feeling enhanced, elevated, and valued, never diminished.
What better way to welcome a guest than to see each person as someone who will bring something to the party. When I plan an evening, big or small, I see it as a patchwork quilt where each guest has a special place in the pattern. The nicest thing people can say to me after they have left my house is that they felt like they were floating out into the night. What better reward can anyone have who has welcomed someone than to have him or her feel that way when they leave. I’ve often felt that there should be a word for those who leave. Goodbye is nice. It is a shortened version of, “God be with you,” which is a wonderful sentiment.
But I’d like to propose a new word for those taking leave. “Wellgo.” Go and be well.
