03/13/2010: "Hip and Hospitable"

My friend has a disintegrated hip and will receive a new one, titanium, in the fall. She will be housebound for the better part of three months and is preparing for this with a vigorous spring cleaning and de-cluttering so the house won't drive her crazy when she's stuck there.

She's decided that this will be the perfect opportunity to revisit the art of hospitality. "I want to have you in" she says, and we faithfully promise to visit.

"OHIP will pay to get me in shape", she says. "It's their investment after all." She has signed up for swimming and floor exercises, and she passed on the pumpkin pie at dinner last night.

Listening to her, I am reminded that opportunity is in the hip of the hobbler. And my bones aren't getting any younger.

Three morals in this story:

1. Falling apart can motivate us to pull ourselves together.
2. The quality of our environment impacts our mental and emotional well-being.
3. We are as welcoming as the state of our home allows us to be.

Yours with creativity and imagination,
Darlene