It’s Friday, and I’m meeting up with the community of Five Minute Friday at Lisa-Jo Baker’s Tales from a Gypsy Mama for some free writing. Here are the rules: follow the prompt, no extreme editing, write for five minutes flat and encourage the person who linked up just before you. Might you consider joining?
Last week, I was overjoyed to see the fantastic five-minute work of a friend I haven’t seen in years. So glad he joined in. You could head to Lisa-Jo’s place, or leave your five minutes in the comments here like he did. Or not. Only if you wanna.
Today’s word is WELCOME.
{GO}
Those sisters, they know a thing or two about the welcome.
Big, warm hugs that linger and don’t have another place to go, with the rocking back and forth, kisses on the cheek. Sometimes a sniff of the hair or shirt that reminds you that you’re each other’s people.
And then there are the chocolates in a bowl, sure. The olives next to cheese. The glass of red. A cup of sparkling water. Flowers in a pitcher.
The basket of children’s treasures.
Bare feet on the porch and an armoire full of blankets.
Their home is backyard of cascading texture and the studio with the peeling paint that looks like a place you could make something lasting.
Those sisters, they know a thing or two about making you feel like you belong.
Sitting on the sectional with a cup of coffee topped frothy foam. Eyes swelling together with the knowing.
Then you’re standing next to her in the tight kitchen, the smell of roasted vegetables in your nose, and you watch the way she uses pretty dishtowels to mop up messes, the way she never forgets people are more important than things.
These women of welcome. They make you want to kick off your shoes and stay a good long while.
{STOP}
Connecting through the power of stories written, spoken and lived
I wish I were in that kitchen all wrapped in smells and women practicing hospitality and stirring up fall in food and heart embraces. I am smiling big and broad just reading. Oh the power of words, friend. And the power of friendship among women. (and women writers, maybe especially so :))
I wish you were there with me, too, Elizabeth. It’s a good place to be…wrapped in this kind of love and care. Thankful for the ways we’re able to do that even across the lines.
“And then there are the chocolates in a bowl, sure. The olives next to cheese. The glass of red. A cup of sparkling water. Flowers in a pitcher.”
When I grow up and out of the “Hurry, we have to be’s,” and the “Here’s some Cheezits. Grab a drink, Honey. Sorry, I didn’t get them iced, yet’s,” and the “Who has to go where? NOW’s?” and the “You didn’t wash your uniform’s?” and the “Oh friend, make yourself at home’s,” and the “I’m Sorry” glances… When I do, in that year of Jubilee soon coming… I will celebrate the sadness of my house less full and chaotic with just such communion bearing gifts. For now…I will just DRINK IT FULL in joyful delight and wonder whenever I stumble upon it at another’s.
Dreaming of the day.
I recognize those quotes of yours. And you’re so right, Kim, we will certainly miss all the chaos, though I know you’re much closer to those transitions than I. This moved me — “just such communion bearing gifts.” And “drink it full.” Yes, so many seasons. And so many ways to be giver and receiver in the same interactions.
Um, and now I want to frame this comment because it is. so. perfectly my life and wow, beautiful words here in this community.
Thanks Lisa-Jo! Ashley’s community is such a sweet gathering.
I am so blessed by these amazing people.
Beautiful. It’s early, I’m enjoying morning coffee and waiting for the day to feel legitimate. Wonderful to wake up to this – a great exercise Ashley!
Happy Friday!
Thank you, Shira. What a lovely compliment that you would wake up to me here. Enjoy your weekend!
It makes you think of the way the world used to be – or else a Fanny Flagg novel of a community in the deep south. It’s what I always hope I accomplish when people are in my presence. Blessings …
Me too, Felecia. Me too.
Love this! In line with what I wrote too… but from the other side… from the hostess… trying to be that place where one feel exactly as you’ve described. Because people DO matter more than things. You’ve encompassed the feeling beautifully :)
I’m looking forward to reading your words, Marcy. This is what I want to be, too…I learn so much from these friends of mine. Thank you for your kind words today.
Love the kicking the shoes off. Love the “people are more important than things.”
Love the knowing.
Mmmmm, good stuff.
Also, love the blogger. ;)
Thanks so much, my friend. Know what else I love? The commenter. :-)
“eyes swelling together with the knowing’ – LOVE this!!!!
Thank you, dear Fiona. I’m guessing you might know a thing or two about this, too.
really wonderful offering this Friday, my friend. THANKS.
Thank you, M. And thank you for the ways you bless with your hospitality each week. Sending love.
Really well written :). Made me smile!
Thanks so much for your comment. I’m smiling back.
Beautiful tribute to your dear friends who show Christ’s love through hospitality! Sounds like they need to teach “welcoming/hospitality classes” to the rest of us! ;)
Thank you, love. I know! Wouldn’t that be great?!
So very descriptive! Makes me wish I was there!!
Nice work!
What a beautiful compliment. Thank you for your comment!
Oh, I am right there with you. And this—> she uses pretty dishtowels to mop up messes, the way she never forgets people are more important than things. That says it all, doesn’t it? That the welcome is not the space or the environment but in the heart of the servant, bowing low with open arms to lift others up. Gorgeous write, Ashley. Simply stunning.
Thank you so much, Alia. Isn’t that the truth? It’s not about the space or environment (though theirs is positively lovely with the fruit of their generosity and joy)…it is about the bowing low with open arms. To lift, to encourage, simply to receive. Yes, that is so it, my friend.
What is it about your writing, Ashley? I read this early this morning, before my body was fully awake even, and it had lived inside me all day.
I want to do a recall/quote all the places I had to stop & take a breath throughout this piece but I think I’d be quoting the whole of it. Okay, I’ll just include a few places that got me right in the heart..
“Big, warm hugs that linger and don’t have another place to go,”
“Sometimes a sniff of the hair or shirt that reminds you that you’re each other’s people.”
“with the peeling paint that looks like a place you could make something lasting.”
“the way she uses pretty dishtowels to mop up messes, the way she never forgets people are more important than things.”
Whew. I’m in awe & so damn grateful for your voice.
Julia, bless you for your words back to me. What beauty — that our words would live with each other. I am so grateful.
You’ve got a lovely piece of writing here today, Ashley, I’m so glad to have read it.. It makes me long for a studio where I can make something lasting.. and a porch filled with love and blankets!
Oh, I know…I hear you — the studio and the blankets! :) Thanks for your dear comment, Smidge!
Oh my word, this – this! “and you watch the way she uses pretty dishtowels to mop up messes, the way she never forgets people are more important than things.
These women of welcome. They make you want to kick off your shoes and stay a good long while.”
I think it’s the pretty dishtowels that did it for me, put me right there in the kitchen with you all. Gosh this was some mighty fine writing. I want to kick off my shoes and just listen in for a long time.
thank you for sharing
~Lisa-Jo
PS You’re my featured Five Minute Friday this week :)
Lisa-Jo, I am beyond honored! Thank you. I know, those dishtowels get me, too. These women have mentored me through their use of the towel…no joke.
Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Can I guess who the sisters are?
Yes, you can! You know those treasures. :-)
Ashley…this is a stunning piece of life you have typed here for us to soak in.
It’s beautiful and warm and graceful.
Fabulous.
Thank you, Krystle. So grateful you joined the “soak.” Aren’t they wonderful?
Saw you from the featured FMF:) I love your writing…the way you painted such a beautiful, heartwarming picture with your words…amazing!!
Thanks so much for visiting — I would love to “see” you again. And thank you for your kind comment.
Congratulations! To me, all of your writing has this — the cool breeze of welcome.
What a tremendous compliment. Thank you, friend.
So very calming and exquisite :)
Thank you. So glad for the calm.
I totally could feel like I was right there with you! It is the senses of living that we are crave… mostly the “knowing” of friends. Enjoyed.
Thank you so much for your comment, Lindy. Grateful to have you come along. True, true — there is no gift like being truly known by a friend.
Woot. Woot. Five minute Friday featured post girl. No one could’ve deserved it more. I LOVE this post. Good job taking us all along with you.
Thank you, Alia. If I remember correctly, you yourself were featured a little while back. :) What an amazing community there. So grateful to be on this journey with you and thankful for your encouragement, too, sister.
LOVED THIS- “Their home is backyard of cascading texture and the studio with the peeling paint that looks like a place you could make something lasting.
Those sisters, they know a thing or two about making you feel like you belong.” – the belonging part impacts me- …ps thanks for inspiring me to try this 5 minute thing as well!!
http://www.corneliaseigneur.com/httpcorneliaseigneur-com20121005five-minute-friday-welcome/
Nothing like feeling that we belong, is there? I loved your exploration of the welcome today, Cornelia…the way another can hold space for us, as one wise friend put it. The way we can enter into another’s world and experience simultaneously the gift of them entering into ours. By the way, you know one of these dear women of welcome I write about here. She was our original connection…yes she was. :-)
And I have to say, I love the way you create welcome through our Writers’ Connection. It is a place of being heard and seen — and belonging. How we all need that!