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. 



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Five Cities Named Most Neighborly in Missouri for 2024

Image
  Photo above: From a block party in Ferguson, Missouri. New to Missouri Good Neighbor Week this year was recognition for the most neighborly cities in the state.  This honor was based on points earned by participating in the week, city campaigns and proclamations, residents making nominations for most engaged neighbor and reporting acts of neighboring, and statewide or local prizes won.  "The goal was to further engage cities with Missouri Good Neighbor Week and we had over 12 pass proclamations and at least 12 that had organized city-wide efforts for Missouri Good Neighbor Week," said David Burton, community development specialist with University of Missouri Extension and creator of Missouri Good Neighbor Week. "We ended the week with over 31,000 documented acts of neighboring and five cities worthy of the title 'most neighborly city' in Missouri." In 2024, five cities were named the most neighborly cities in Missouri: Houston, Excelsior Springs, Sikeston,...
Read more

MU Extension Announces Show Me Neighborhood Art Week June 1-15

Image
  To participate in Show Me Neighborhood Art Week, Missourians  must register here online . The registration deadline for Show Me Neighborhood Art Week is May 24. Preexisting and new public art can be registered, but only new art can be considered for prizes. The location for this event is ALL of Missouri -- your front yard, your neighborhood, and your community. The online state map marking locations around Missouri will be interactive. If you have questions, please see the contact emails at the end of this blog. SPRINGFIELD, MO. -  University of Missouri Extension has announced the launch of a new statewide public art exhibit called Show Me Neighborhood Art Week. This outreach program strives to promote creative expression and public art made by residents, regardless of their skill level, as a contribution to the community's sense of place and residents' sense of belonging. The initiative was inspired by LAWN (Lawn Art With Neighbors), a grassroots program launched in S...
Read more

Missouri's Most Engaged Neighbors Honored as Part of Missouri Good Neighbor Week

Image
  During Missouri Good Neighbor Week 2024, over 120 individuals were nominated as Missouri's Most Engaged Neighbor, and 22 were selected for individual recognition. Our Missouri celebration also got national attention from NextDoor, the social media company, whose leadership team worked with us to create a post that went out nationwide on NextDoor on Sept. 27.  You can access it here . At that point, another 50 nominations poured in from across the state. "The nominations were of really high quality this year," said David Burton, community development specialist with University of Missouri Extension and creator of Missouri Good Neighbor Week. "Every nominee should have received a letter letting them know of the nomination and a memento, a Missouri Good Neighbor Week nominee keychain." The top nominees (22 this year) will receive a check for $100 and an official award certificate. In past years, there have been 50 to 60 nominations. But this year, the window for ...
Read more