I read a fascinating article recently about the real meaning of hospitality, and it made me realise how far we have moved away from that when we now use the word as a description for a type of business.

The etymology of the word is hospes, which in Latin means both host and guest, because it was used to express the interchange, the connection between the two – you cannot be a guest without a hist, or a host without a guest.

This immediately made sense to me. There is such pleasure in preparing a meal for somebody and it being appreciated, or just welcoming them in with a cup of coffee and a biscuit and having lively conversation.

And of course, being the guest is lovely when someone makes you feel welcome and has metaphorically opened their arms to you.

Appreciating both sides of this true hospitality creates a feeling of warmth and affection, which we all need. This is interaction at its best and deserves more recognition.

So often we take the whole process for granted, but I think it’s worth taking a moment to appreciate a welcome and to appreciate the warm reaction when you make someone welcome.

Let’s be truly hospitable and spread a little more warmth in the world.