Are You Up For a Visit?

I haven't heard that in a while. In my mind, this is something you would hear through the phone (analog of course, if not rotary), from a friend, who is basically asking permission to drop in on short notice. But these days it feels like short notice doesn't really happen, or has maybe gone extinct. No one "stops in" anymore because they were in the neighborhood. Too busy, too hurried and too much technology.

No, all of my visits are planned well in advance, with an appointment on my calendar if I'm being honest. And I could contribute that to several things, like "most of my people live far away, so of course it's planned..." but that would be a dumb excuse. If someone were to call me and say they were in the neighborhood, or just show up at my door on Saturday morning with the "Leave it to Beaver" [insert anything homemade here], my jaw would hit the floor.

And, as my jaw hit the floor, I would notice all the dust bunnies hanging out down there, next to the laundry that hasn't made it's way to the laundromat yet. And, perhaps I'd be in my pajamas with sleep still in my eyes at noon. And, sadly, I might either feel ashamed or irritated that they found me in my natural habitat, robbing me of the chance to create any semblance of order.

Then Wednesday happened.
I went into Downtown Brooklyn for some paperwork, and reached out to a friend the evening prior to schedule a 'coffee break' at her office. When I was on jury duty we had started this habit of meeting up for lunch, and now, it's something to look forward to whenever in the area. And, instead of the expected hour and a half wait, I was out in 5 minutes. So, instead of meeting up at 11:30 as scheduled, I texted her at 10:15, letting her know I was done and going to Starbucks for a coffee, and to let me know if she wanted me to grab her something or if she wanted to reschedule. I felt like dirt! How dare I be sitting downstairs, imposing on her day (which had barely begun at this point) workday?

She took about half an hour to respond (still arriving at the office I'm guessing) but then told me to come on up! And, yes, she received a few phone calls while I was there and had to sign for a package, but it seems that I really wasn't the worst inconvenience in the world. Shocking news to me, because if it had happened to me, my head might've exploded.

I definitely need to loosen up and grow in my hospitality and while this is something I've been working on, it's always been on my terms/my schedule. Even my inlaws (Tom's parents) who live across the hall get a sigh sometimes when I hear their knock. They live in the same building, did I really expect them to call to ask to stop in, to retrieve their ladder I stole a month ago to put away Christmas decorations? Or to retrieve a pan I borrowed and forgot to return? Of course not. Sure, I'm comfy in the couch but then I remember the times when I nearly chopped my finger off or thought that someone was holding my husband ransom, and I ran across the hall for help.

I need to stop being so selfish with my time and freely welcome people, who are just popping in for a visit unexpectedly.

So tell me...
Have you ever popped in for a visit unannounced?
When was the last time you did, or someone did to you?
Does the pile of laundry mock you as you greet and pour coffee for your visitor?

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