Is It a Risk Worth Taking?

BY JEN COLLIE

“I have a challenge for you,” my neighbor said to me one morning at our Garage Coffee. I don’t see myself as a natural risk-taker, but I was interested to hear the challenge at least. Homemade pop-tarts were the special that day; I had baked two kinds–cherry and brown sugar cinnamon. My neighbor wanted me to try making s’mores pop-tarts. Since we all agreed those were the best flavor anyway, surely the homemade version would be fantastic if I could pull it off.

As I said, taking risks is not exactly my strong point. I tend to be the risk assessor in most situations. I try to foresee all the obstacles, minimize the hardship, avoid the injury if possible. Even something as simple as trying out a recipe carries a good bit of risk considering the time involved, the ingredients wasted, and the possibility I might not have any goodies to offer at the coffee shop if they turn out to be disgusting! But this challenge sounded fun, and if I succeeded, it had the bonus of blessing my neighbors.

So this week I set out to make some s’mores pop-tarts. Just for the record, homemade pop-tarts do not carry any of the convenience that the Kellogg’s version is famous for. Making crust from scratch, waiting for it to chill, cooking the filling, assembling the tiny little tarts–it’s an intensive process. While every risk does not turn out successfully, this one did. All the effort paid off in the form of a tasty s’mores delight! 

My s’mores adventure is like many of my experiences in the practice of hospitality–there is a good bit of risk involved. I have found that the benefit, however, far outweighs the risk. Choosing to practice hospitality is an ongoing stretching exercise, but I have learned so much from those who practice it around me. I’ve been challenged to just try things–knowing full well that some things won’t work out and others things will completely flop. Even in those things, there are opportunities for connection, growth of friendship, and meeting of deep human needs. The incredible thing about practicing something is that you can try again. How might you accept the challenge to practice hospitality this week? Could you welcome a stranger? Or offer a safe place to share ideas? Or start a project that would build your community? It’s a risk worth taking.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: As one of the co-founders of Hospitality Matters, JEN COLLIE loves to see what happens when neighbors connect. She finds a way to bring baked goods into the equation whenever possible, but mostly she enjoys helping people feel at home wherever they are. Check out what she has to say about trying new things in the practice of hospitality.