#morethangateway

I suspect that actress Julia Louis-Dreyfus should be Googling "How to be a good guest" right...about...now. It seems that it may be a role she hasn't yet perfected. I woke up to some startling quotes in this article, shared by friends on Facebook.

A sampling -- "Thank God the work’s good,” says Louis-Dreyfus, dressed in Selina’s chocolate-brown trench and stilettos. “Can you imagine if it wasn’t? It would be like a prison.”

Of course, to us, Columbia is a place unlike any other. We have our own wacky brand of exceptionalism. And we also feel free to poke at the dark side of that, whether out of frustration or a desire for progress. But that is not the issue here. The issue is, as Pixel Workshop and HoCoMoJo owner Ilana Bitner put it this morning, that "...publicly disparaging your host city seems bad form, disrespectful, and a little mean-spirited."

The reponse from my friends is the one you'd expect from a good host. Come back to Columbia, Ms. Louis-Dreyfus. Let us show you a good time. They're posting photographs of favorite places in Columbia. Here is one of mine:

You will recognize Lake Kittamaqundi as evening begins. A late Spring or Summer view, as evidenced by the paddle boats. Taken as I left dinner at Clyde's, it speaks to me of the beauty that is Columbia.

So, let's have a do-over, Ms. Louis-Dreyfus. Everyone deserves a second chance. But this time, before you come, read this:

"One begins by demanding nothing more than the bare elements of life and dignity, which every host is more than delighted to exceed. The good guest then simply allows the other person to be a good host—to share his gifts, to play her music, to tell his stories, to show her places, and to serve his foods. Finally, a guest should cultivate and express genuine gratitude. It need not be effusive or exorbitant, only sincere." Jeffrey Lockwood, from The Fine Art of the Good Guest.

Look for the hashtag #morethangateway on Facebook and Twitter for more photographic love for our town. Add some of your own.

 

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