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Michael and I were wandering around Toulouse a few weeks ago. I was recovering from a difficult hair cut (so many ordinary things are difficult in a new language) when we stumbled upon a small art gallery, just closing. In the window was a sculpture. A barefoot child, her clothes ragged around her body, stands on a tree trunk. She is surrounded by crows: crows sweeping down on her, on the ground around her, perched in her hands. The face of the child is quiet, gentle, peaceful. I could have watched her forever, but it was late, and we were hungry. We left her and her birds behind us and wandered down the charming small streets to find dinner. Yet somehow, she came with me. I found myself haunted by this piece long after the trauma of the haircut had been shampooed away. The sculptors who created her might have been saying this. They might have been saying something else. But they were surely offering us something about what it is to be human. Joan Coderch and Javier Malavia sculpt the human form, and their deep passion is to create the expression of emotion and values in bronze. They are fundamentally co-creative, using their four hands for each sculpture as they move through the artistic process. You can see more about them and their work here. They have named her (or him, or they, as this sculpture conforms to no gendered norms) Scarecrow, after the Wizard of Oz.
Written communications which confirm reservations in advance of any property or venue visit, whether for business or pleasure, can also begin the welcoming process. Add a welcoming statement to correspondence which confirms guest and business plans and begin establishing a special feeling and mindset for each pending visit. A welcome goes beyond words, it creates a feeling of caring and gives a sense of pleasure. A sincere welcome reaches out and positively pulls guests in to the hospitality environment they have chosen and makes guests feel like they have made a good choice. A cordial and courteous welcome gives guest the feeling they have been invited to join the setting even though they chose to go on their own. The power of welcome is to affirm the guest made the right choice and is further welcome to enjoy (and spend!) each aspect the property (or business) has to offer. Perhaps this is the world my friends and I are trying to make as we live in this experimental way in our big communal home. So much we are facing into is frightening. Even inside the boundaries of our peaceful grounds, there are plenty of crows. We have invested money together, are trying to maintain a big old property together, are (mostly) lost in a new language together, have uprooted at least some part of our lives and our identities together. The scary things swoop and caw all around us. But when we hold out our hands to those scary things, and when we hold out our hands to each other no matter what we are facing, our fears become less fearsome. Together, we make the scary things beautiful.As you may know, I am very open about my growth journey and always eager to share the valuable knowledge I consume with you all. I love deep diving into my brain to understand how I think and why. It has transformed me into a passionate being who wants to understand all beings. Nothing makes me happier than learning and being inspired by others. Robinson, Abby (27 July 2023). "Car Share's Sian Gibson stars in first look at BBC's The Power of Parker". Radio Times . Retrieved 28 July 2023.
This was the twelfth Luminous event and included, indigenous elders, migrant and refugee communities, primary and high school children, unions, churches and the wider community. There were over 40 different multicultural communities present on Friday. The real answer is who you welcome into your home. Like last Thanksgiving, when I had a motley crew of friends who also couldn’t make it home for the holiday for one reason or another. Some were like me and couldn’t manage the cost of flights, some didn’t feel welcome with their biological families, some were just happy for a second serving of turkey. Somalia: ‘It was a normal, boring day. I was playing videogames after homework when the first bomb fell.’ Bosnia: ‘One day, Mum took me to the local playground. A sniper shot at us. We couldn’t stay in Bosnia any more.’ Ukraine: ‘On the 24th of February, Mum woke me up by saying: ‘The war has begun.’ This step is a bit more hands-on than our other tips, but it tends to be very efficient. To be blunt, sometimes you’ll need to offer a tangible reward for users to join your list, hence the idea of providing value right out of the gate. Hire the best receptionist you can afford. It's worth paying extra for a really good one. Your receptionist should be a people person who easily engages in conversation and makes others feel comfortable. This individual not only takes your clients' calls, but should develop a relationship with them, immediately making them feel important when they call.Perhaps you've sidestepped some of this problem by giving your clients your direct phone number. So how's your recorded greeting? Is is the same one your clients have heard for the last year or more? If the client needs to speak with you immediately, does the message give any indication of your whereabouts or when you might return the call? Or does the client need to transfer to the receptionist only to be told that she doesn't know where you are or when you'll return? While this process is not always straightforward, I am optimistic that we are moving in the right direction as long as we have people with us. To bring communities together, and to create much-needed welcome in our societies, it is crucial that we center the voices of those with lived experience, especially when it comes to leadership positions. By providing space for growth, support, and meaningful involvement, we can better incorporate lived experience in our work. The reality is the prosperity of our country has been reliant on immigration and therefore diversity. After World War II, Ben Chifley the post war Prime Minister who created the base of Australia’s post war boom with a migration program that saw a surge in migration from countries other than Britain. That migration has led to the diverse country and state we live in. The 2016 census found that 2 in 5 Queenslanders were born overseas or had at least one parent born overseas. More than 1 in 10 spoke a language other than English at home. These statistics reflect the home I grew up in. Written for ages 9+ and with YA/adult crossover appeal, the novel aims to help readers understand the plight of those forced to leave their homes.
My house has never felt so warm as that day — and that’s what we’re exploring this month at Grotto as the fall air starts to turn. The warmth of hospitality, the power of welcome, and stories of people who have taken truly radical steps to extend it to the most marginalized and neglected. Design: show us your students' ideas! Design a building or construction (either realistic or fantastical) reflecting all the different ways nature impacts their ideas.What a lovely exploration Jennifer. While I'm doing an inventory of my favorite art pieces :-) I thought I'd share my reflection on yours, about stepping into our fears. As adults who have settled into our way of being/living, we don't often seek out a challenging situation, something that would deeply unsettle us and make us question our very way of being - and yet, you all have done that. I think there's a question inside us about "What might I be missing in the human experience, that I might like to experience in this time-bound journey?"
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