Being Hospitable: Strong relationships that last over time

Some of the strongest relationships are built out of nowhere.

I’ve learned this through the years by starting casual conversations that have been the start to well-developed, lifelong friendships.

Understandably, we don’t often see our friends on a regular basis anymore, but when we do see them, it reminds us of fonder times that we spent together in the past. Reliving amazing memories with people is a gift for me, and seeing my old friends and fawning over our great memories of the past leaves such a good feeling for all parties, especially me.

Being able to share in special moments of a family’s life, and being able to do their special events, and to say that everything went perfect is yet another reason I continue on in my hospitality journey. It gives me reason to smile because remembering these great moments, such as the smile on a bride’s face on her wedding day or the proud mother in tears at a baby shower, are the simplest way to get great joy out of life.

Creating happiness is truly a blessing, and perfection in me is driven by the pursuit of happiness of others.

I met a certain family many years ago. We over time casually built a nice relationship. Pleasantries were often extended and over time maybe I spent more time at their table than others. The family dined with me often, both as a whole or just the parents, and sometimes the husband would bring out of town guests he was hosting from work. They trusted me and knew that every dining experience no matter who they were with was going to be a good one.

I saw them through everything from a Friday night dinner to bridal and baby showers. Trust was built over time, and expectations were always set high, and at the end of every event we grew closer.

I found myself in 2019 taking a new position at a private club. Everything beside the service aspect of the job was new to me. At points, I felt like a fish out of water.

I was only a couple weeks into my tenure here when I heard there was a baby shower coming up. With everything happening to me so fast, trying to balance this learning curve and also operating at a high level of service, I didn’t check the name of whose shower was being held until that morning.

Our event coordinator had everything under control as she normally would, so I thought nothing of it. I went out to make my rounds that morning, and who do I see but the family with whom I’ve developed such a strong relationship in the past! Now I was able to help with their baby shower after previously doing their daughters bridal shower.

Certainly, I felt a sense of warmth knowing I followed this family through now two major life events. Casual dinners and business dinners aside, knowing that I was able to be a part of yet another special day for them meant so much to me, and I did everything I could possibly do in my early tenure here to make their time as enjoyable and comfortable as possible.

Our event coordinator at the time, who now manages a prominent restaurant in the area, more than made sure that this event was perfect, and just being able to be a part of it was a great experience.

The big thing I take from this story – and I hope you do too – is that we shouldn’t take for granted any of the little things we do in life that can greatly affect others. One little misstep in one of their dinners or events could have led to them turning to a different venue, and I wouldn’t have been able to share this nice story with you.

Meeting people with a kind greeting and a smile is a great start to any good relationship. I’m grateful to be able to do this every day, and I’m grateful for every person I’ve so far met along the way. Meeting people and developing relationships are what I love most, and watching their children’s children grow up is fantastic too.

Taking care of people is what I do best, and what I love most. I’ve built countless friendships over the years with a quick smile and a “How do you do?”

Frankly, I wouldn’t trade my friendships for anything.