X is for Xenial

Xenial (pronounced zee-nee-al) New Latin from the Greek for hospitality from xenos, meaning guest. Of or relating to or constituting hospitality or relations between host and guest, especially among the ancient Greeks between persons from different cities.

So basically being xenial means being hospitable to visiting strangers or foreigners. (Notice how closely hospitable, hospital and hospitality are related.)

My grandmother, Erva "Love" Hartwell Boulon was a consummate hostess. She was xenial towards all her guests, making them feel welcomed and comfortable. (For those of you new to my blog, Grammy ran, at different times, two guest houses on St. John.)

It didn't matter to her who you were, where you came from, why you were there, she gave the gift of herself equally to all. She had a loud uninhibited cackling laugh. Sometimes a trace of it comes out of me. I love it when it spouts out of my throat, unexpected, a burst of noise. It sometimes causes people turn and look at me oddly, like if it explodes at a restaurant or in a movie theater.

Besides her laugh, I hope I have some of Grammy's xenial qualities as well. I hope this blog is xenial, a place where strangers feel welcomed.

Okay, so how can I relate xenial to writing. That's easy. I have "met" many wonderfully xenial writing people through the blog-o-sphere who have given me help, information, and encouragement. I am humbled and honored.

Thank you.