12/04/2021
I wrote this in 2015, and thought I'd share it with you today as Christmas approaches and our time at Hawthorne Park Bed & Breakfast and our gratitude for our guests flood our memories:
"Wrapped up in a tangle of Christmas lights and feeling frustrated and grumpy but wanting to do this in the true spirit of Christmas, I began to ponder my life the past 2 ½ years as an innkeeper. When we started, I figured it would involve cooking, cleaning, laundry, serving, and meeting interesting folks. But these are some things I had not imagined:
Having the best neighbors imaginable
Receiving hugs from people I’ve only known for a couple of days but who feel like old friends
Driving a guest to the Short North, then being asked to go into the shop to give her a second opinion on buying a special ring to replace an engagement ring lost years ago
Comforting guests with cancer who are in town for treatment
Providing a quiet respite to guests spending time with dying family members
Providing a calm and peaceful shelter for someone going through a difficult time and when she returns being told that you unknowingly played a part in her renewal of faith, which is not something we ever push on guests
Taking a guest to Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens because you know they would love it
Showing off our neighbors’ phenomenal garden to master gardener guests
Having a place where new friends meet
Listening to guests laugh and discuss important ideas and FOOTBALL
Trying my best to help launch the career of a former guest who is a talented and kindhearted young musician and recording artist
Practicing my long-forgotten German and Spanish (not well)
Feeling a strong bond with all the previous owners and sharing the 115-year history of this grand house with guests
Finding and purchasing two fascinating books on Amazon written by the son of the original owner
Reading a wonderful book written by an octogenarian guest who was told by a teacher that he was incorrigible and would never amount to anything but grew up to be a college professor and author
Having a neighbor who is an arborist anticipate that we would need to have some diseased trees taken down, so gave us a tree and planted it himself to fill in the empty space.
Being invited to show our home in a magnificent tour of historic homes with a thousand people passing through our doors
Providing a space for a soldier to reconnect with his wife (3 times) after deployments
Playing a small part in wedding celebrations – showers, receptions, bachelorette parties, families of brides, honeymoons, babymoons, anniversaries
Providing a restful environment for parents taking a break from their children to recharge their relationships
Meeting doctors, lawyers, politicians, construction workers, teachers, pastors, lots of IT people, bankers, farmers, students, judges, professors, engineers, neurologists, and people from all walks of life
Giving much-needed rest to weary travelers
Meeting people from every continent and many countries: Russia, Sweden, Switzerland, France, England, Germany, Hungary, Kenya, China, Philippines, Korea, Saudi Arabia, Australia, Italy, Canada, and all over the United States
Having help who end up feeling like your sons and daughter and who you hope will be in your life forever
Being happy that when our siblings and friends visit they don’t have to leave at bedtime
Having a house big enough to hold our large family at the holidays
Learning that perfectionism can be my worst enemy
Realizing that maybe God didn’t pass over me in the gifting department"
Merry Christmas to all!
-Linda
