Sunday, October 28, 2007

Family Reunion & Homecoming - of Sorts

My Way Sunday
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I've driven these highways so many times in years past. Before Aunt Rozann and I were married, I lived in Cleveland for a couple of years. We were dating each other then, but she was at home in southeastern MIchigan. I would make the 2-1/2 hour trip back on weekends. I eventually returned to my home town of Toledo, OHio, started back to college, and a year later we were married. I kind of missed Cleveland - a lot was going on there.

This pa
st Friday, Aunt Rozann and I took a 5-1/2 hour drive from east central INdiana to Cleveland. This time we were going to meet with a group of new friends - friends from the blog-o-sphere - friends like Fr. V (of 'Adam's Ale' blog fame) and his entourage of blog buddies. It was just like meeting up with family - more than cordial, happy to see one another, and especially treated the out-of-towners good ... real hospitality.

A group of us met for dinner before going to a movie together. We went to the opening of the movie 'Bella'. If you can find it in your area, I strongly encourage you to get groups together and go see it - then go have coffee afterwards and talk about it. That's what we did. I won't claim it to be the best movie ever made, but the I found the message[s] to be encouraging.

In the group were bloggers like: 'Adam's Ale', and 'Habemus Papam', and 'a second chance'.

They have real names, too - names like: Fr. V, and uncle jim, and Carissa L.
Additional names around the table include Jenn P, and Kay S, and aunt rozann, and Mickie V (Fr. V's sister), and Bryan P, and Jackie, and David, and Mark, and Sylvana, and Ed S - a seminarian.

My encouragement for you is this: whenever you get the chance, go out of your way to meet some of your fellow bloggers - it will make your day.
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Hospitality is a special charism. The Benedictines are famous for theirs. I challenge all of us to extend hospitality to those who come across our path.

Q: Have you ever experienced a really special occasion of hospitality? Care to share about it?
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5 comments:

Fr. V said...

Thanks for coming out!

It was great to see you!

Fr. V

Adrienne said...

Bella is not playing anywhere within 500 miles of us.

Wish I could have gone to Cleveland. Maybe we should have a big blogger reunion or convention every year. Give us all time to save up the $$$.

Uncle Jim - I sent your email to Dennis by accident. Duh!! Was going ask for help with the link thingy but I figured it out. That ol' Holy Spirit really takes care of me 'cause you wouldn't have been there to help me:)

Anonymous said...

It was great to see you and Rozann.It didn't feel like we were just meeting in person for the first time. It felt like old friends. Glad you could make it and hope to see you again soon. Meanwhile we'll keep on blogging!!

Adoro said...

I really wish I could have been there. Maybe someday. I already feel like you're all friends, but I'd prefer to know you in person to make the term "friend" more real and lasting.

About hospitality...oy, I have stories!

Mexico, 1994. We had just arrived, and ON THE THIRD DAY (check the Biblical sigificance of that phrase) we met our host families. We had been at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe that morning, got on the bus to Puebla, and at the ETC (our school) we took Spanish placement tests, were fed ham and cheese croissants with Churros and hot chocolate, and placed in a room to await our families. We were a bunch of lost puppies.

One by one, we were claimed...we, and all our luggage.

They called me, said, "Who belongs to V.R.?" I left the group. My new "Mom" greeted me warmly with a kiss on the cheek (this is how Mexicans greet all women), and bega to chatter at me. I'd had 6 years of Spanish and could barely understand. She drove me home, pointing out sights on the way. Because her last student didn't speak Spanish at all, she was careful to use hand signals for basic things. She knew I had no idea what she was saying.

When I arrived, she introduced me to her husband, R., and they explained that their children were out for the evening. I think I met their 8 year old.

Well, as soon as we walked in the door, they showed me their house, my room, helped me carry my stuff up, and then we went back to the kitchen, where they insisted that I eat. I didn't want to eat; I was full. But finally, I agreed to a sandwich, because to continue to refuse would be rude.

Note to everyone; if you go to Mexico, the first thing people will do is feed you. It would be rude for them not to, and it would be rude for you not to accept.

They were wonderful to me, and throughout my time there, people were great. Perfect strangers helped me, and all of us,to get places. They were incredible, God bless them.

I have more stories....

uncle jim said...

You may have been physically absent, but you were there in spirit, and mentioned in conversation several times.

SOMEDAY, some of us will probably end up in your neck of the woods and you can 'host' - with some good onion soup, and other dishes [no beans, though, right?]

Do you have any special Halloween recipes ... like for batter-dipped deep-fryed spiders?