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I remember sitting in a bar in Kos about 15 years ago, drinking sugary cocktails and watching Friends projected onto a big white wall. I was loving my holiday and was rapidly fattening on foods and drinks that I doubt I’d touch now, but as always happened when I was away, I had a sense that something needed to change. I wanted more.
My thoughts kept darting to my house. I wanted a home that welcomed people. Actually, it was more than that. I wanted to hold funny, quirky dinner parties, have people around for breakfast or lunch, hold BBQs and in some way have a home that was warm and inviting. I wanted homemade soup to be waiting on the aga and the fridge to house rich cheeses, fresh salad, avocados and humous. I wanted to be able to say “Call at mine on the way and have food, I’d love to see you” and they would; just an hour as they were passing. We’d sit around the big wooden table, and I’d pour freshly squeezed juice into a glass while music danced through the air. We’d laugh, and I’d have a sense of ease and success.
Somehow though, it didn’t happen. I thought about it often enough. I fantasised, I looked at pictures of big tables, I even thought of menus, but whenever I had considered inviting people over, I hesitated. “It doesn’t matter how much I vacuum, there’s always dog hair and a bit of a smell of dog!” “I couldn’t make good enough food. I’m a rubbish cook.” “I don’t think that anyone would come”. The excuses rolled off my tongue with every breath and the dinner parties never happened.
Fifteen years later, I’m in a different house but it still has some dog hair, there’s still a bit of a dog smell (around the beautiful Frankincense that I burn) and I’m still not excited about the prospect of successfully cooking for more than just a close few but 2 weeks ago I heard the words “Let’s have food at mine” come from my mouth. Without a thought, I had invited seven guests, taking us up to ten! A quick flick through Pinterest and I discovered Charcuterie boards! No cooking, beautiful, whole, healthy, nutritious foods and then naughty puddings made to look like art! That was it, no cooking, no stress. I could do it!
The food was bought, candles lit and hugs given as the guests rolled in. It was a tight squeeze with ten of us squashed around a table for six and the dogs fussed about wanting attention, but the laughter echoed through the house, the plates were filled with food and in turn emptied and the evening flowed with ease. At the end of the night, once everyone had left, I wandered back into the kitchen. Dirty dishes, half-empty glasses, food and goodies were strewn across the room. I poured myself a glass of wine, turned up the music and felt overwhelmed with a sense that all was right with the world. I took a video of the mess and when I shared it online, my friends panicked! “We forgot to help you clean!” But to me that video and that mess was pure happiness. The mess was success!
Two nights later myself and two friends from the dinner party were due to go to a sound healing night, close to where I lived. “Call at my house on the way” I said “We’ll have food, I’d love to see you” and that’s exactly what we did.
Is there anything that you are putting off? Are you waiting for the perfect moment? Maybe that perfect moment is now.
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