There are ideas and concepts in life that keep me thinking. One such particular concept is that of being welcome. The best symbol of being welcome is the open door or gate. Open means access therefore welcome and closed the opposite. I work in hospitality and making a guest feel welcome is part of my job. Thing is, it is a very important aspect of life.

Even with less time I read as much as possible to get a feel for the changes around me. Headlines, articles and blogs about current topics at least keep me partially informed. One development that concerns me is how people treat each other when only a little kindness is needed. Kindness makes a person vulnerable and human in a good way. I personally believe it is a vital condition that makes society pleasant.

First there is family and friends. The people closest to you with whom you have good relationships are always welcome because good relationships matter. Good here means mutually beneficial based on common interests of belonging to a group because of the complex combination of mutual trust, love, appreciation and whatnot.

Then there are the colleagues and acquaintances with whom you can be friends but the relationships are less close. These people are the second group of people who are welcome in your life. Of course there are exceptions here but that means going from small talk to personal conversations and developing that complex combination of mutual trust, love, appreciation and whatnot.

After that strangers and organisations remain. Not much to say unless there is a personal involvement that confronts you directly with either of the them. Here situations occur that test everybody. How welcoming are you to a total stranger or organisation of people whom you barely or do not know off? Do you greet, talk and listen before saying goodbye or do you prepare to defend yourself out of fear or hostility?

In the media of recent months, especially the last quarter of 2015 I sensed too much negative attention. I do not know what to think so I try to think nothing of it. At the same time I try to make sense of the world. I refuse to accept that people cannot be welcoming and hospitable to others. Sure there are limits within reason.

Welcome or not, people are people…