No matter how often I experience it, it always gives me pleasure.

This may come as a shock to you, but I am a regular visitor at a local coffee shop. Upon my first visit, I noted the welcoming environment, the helpful staff, and of course, the delicious coffee. It’s a joy to sit in the shaded patio and sense the socializing going on around me. The hospitality is amazing!

I often wonder if we don’t take that generous welcoming for granted. It was vividly and numerously offered to us during a recent trip to New York City where we with family members.

We are always invited and stay with our son-in-law’s parents. They deserve a five star rating in hospitality. Their welcoming attitude is outstanding. We have terrific conversations, and their liquor cabinet is always open for us. It makes no difference if I seek a cognac, a sherry or a glass of wine, a bottle is always open and welcoming to me.

Now let’s see hospitality through a different lens — that of family emotion. Have you ever played catch with any of your children or grandchildren? To me, those moments are precious. As I played catch with my oldest grandson and our daughter, their welcoming happiness was so fun. It made no difference if the grandson was thrown a ground ball or a fly ball, he was on it. During out time in the park, I like to think hospitality was on public view as we performed this inter-generational ball tossing.

I would be terribly remiss not to mention our son-in-law’s hospitality. One of the many ways he made me feel welcome was sharing a couple of different spirited liquids with me. I was invited to taste a bit of a 17- year- old Eagle Rave Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. The whiskey welcomed me into its world with its complex and long lasting flavors. In addition, I was treated to a delicious Napa Valley wine named Fortitude Shake Ridge. As before, I was welcomed into its very tasty medium bodied flavors and soft tannins.

Oh, our youngest grandson challenged me to tickle him as he always tried to escape my grasping arms.The result was a hilariously fun time that will be repeated well into the future.

Later over a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon, I reflected on this thing called hospitality. It’s found everywhere — even in a glass of wine or a pour of excellent peated Scotch whiskey.

One of the reasons I like wine is because each bottle is there for you with its special scents, look and flavors. It asks nothing more than for us to simply enfold ourselves in it being.

Perhaps this whole hospitality thing is that simple. It starts with a welcoming attitude, continues to the giving of pleasure and ends with the building of memories. No matter my mood, hospitality always makes me smile. Whatever it is that’s offering that hospitality, your presence is noted and valued.

It makes no difference if you’re throwing a ball, getting tickled or having a sip. Watch for hospitality, embrace it and pass it on.

As always, eat and drink in moderation, but laugh with reckless abandon!

Cheers!