Summertime Writing

Cathy Beesey Founder Stories Connecting Us

Pinterest Home page, so much I could discover but the Pinterest algorithm knows me well. So many blogs on writing: prompts, life stories, write a book in three months and more; pink and green table setting designs; so many photos of shoes – yes I did do a search on shoes: pointy toe with low heal; the occasional moose – from Painting and Drawing course, I had set up my own board; and many on Italy, I have a board for a possible 2025 trip with: 10 best places to visit, road trips, Italian phrases, online courses and apps to assist in my learning of the Italian language. 

Scroll, as you do, and I find How to host like an Italian – a practical look. I touch the screen and am transported to the site ‘Old World Italy’. No ads? Really? If I tick accept will the ads begin. I know that isn’t true but … This is a calm space with words and an occasional photo. I’m enjoying this, and assume there will be new ideas for hosting our guests; often sharing Italian food with a table setting design any Italian would be proud of. Linen and ceramics on a table that seats ten, in the heat of the day or the cool of the night. 

Surprise, this blog by Sommer Buss, isn’t what I was expecting: more philosophical, how we measure success, comparing ourselves to the ‘perfect’ celebrities that host, challenging what is perfect and she ends the first part with, However, I fear that in the midst of all this well-meaning inspiration, we somehow end up believing a lie. No practical tips yet. I read on after viewing a photo of a simple table setting design. She challenges what it means to host and concludes I believe that hospitality really comes down to heart motive and intentionality. In its simplest definition, it is opening one’s home and life to others. It’s inviting others into our space to share life with them and to show them love. I’m feeling validated, making connections to my life, our lives and how we invite people into our home to share more than food and the latest table setting. Friends and family write after a visit, thanks for the great food and experience, mostly the great company and conversations, not always but often enough. 

Sommer Buss gives advice: If we really want to live a life practicing hospitality, we have to work at building margin into the day. This “blank space” gives us time and expectation for our regular routines to be disrupted. 

Margin into the day, love it, and now I am living my third age I can do this more, and do, do this more. And this blank space creates disruption to my actions and thoughts, a feeling of being unhurried. And as with my reading of blogs I now skim the rest of the article, there are some tips at the very end, nothing new. 

And to conclude I choose this quote to share with you, and to practice the Italian language. Italians know the value of this margin. They even have the famous saying, “dolce far niente.” The sweetness of doing nothing. They keep the margin open for life to happen. 

Copyright Cathy Beesey, February 2025. All rights reserved; this intellectual property belongs solely to Cathy Beesey.

If you missed my other post where I delved into Pinterest. Here it is.

Pinterest Adventure – What is lost?