GIFTS

Words are Gifts


An Unplanned Visit

The unplanned visits are the best, I thought, as our guests were leaving.

I was thinking about the anxiety in preparing for guests. The long list of dishes. Checking that the place is “spick and span”. Getting out the best crockery, cutlery and glasses. The dishes planned, ingredients purchased, time set for preparing and cooking, then the wait.

‘Are they coming on time? When will they get here?’

‘Is the room temperature okay: open windows or air conditioner?’

‘Will there be enough seats: should we bring in some more?’

I guess these days all’s changed and most planned visits have a wait.

Last night our friends from Arizona popped in to say, ‘hello and goodbye’ They had travelled to Ghana for a different purpose and would not leave without seeing us. Masked up, they arrived around dinner time . I quickly put together a “Tapas-like” meal for us.

Our last supper perhaps, as they leave this evening. It was a short visit, our friends, their friends from down our road joined us at the tail end of the visit. There were many clicks, appreciating the brief visit and excited as we had not seen each other for many years. The clicks stored the memories, there was no stress, everyone was delighted.



5 responses to “An Unplanned Visit”

  1. These reunions are always so enjoyed and go by so fast! I am glad that you were able to have this moment with your friends!

    Liked by 1 person

  2. I’m glad that the spontaneous visit went well. I too bustle a lot when preparing for company, but friends who visit seem as happy with the simplicity of the ordinary as with my more elaborate attempts to entertain. It’s the conversation and comraderie that we treasure.

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  3. I am so glad you were able to see your friends, and without the traditional pre-visit build-up of stress. The moments together are what really matter. Thank you for the reminder.

    Liked by 1 person

  4. Leigh Anne Eck Avatar
    Leigh Anne Eck

    “The clicks stored the memories” are such beautiful words. What a wonderful visit. I wrote about an unexpected visit today, but mine wasn’t as pleasant! 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

  5. You know, I haven’t really thought about this before, but I think you might be right. There’s so much less worry in spontaneous visits. They’re also usually a bit shorter so there isn’t the challenge of entertaining for a long time. Of course, you were also quite flexible and just moved with the moment. It sounds delightful.

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About Me

I am am Elementary school teacher at an International IB School in Accra, Ghana, West Africa. I write with groups of writers, such as Teach Write.

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