Joe Goodchild

One of my favourite paintings is Jean-François Millet’s Angelus, which is a reflection on working life and faith. As you can see above, the Angelus focuses on two people at the end of a day spent harvesting potatoes. It would have been tough, heavy work, hard on the hands, the shoulders, the feet and the spine. It would have been work which paid just enough to make it through the day. The sun is setting, so these beleaguered figures are shrouded in a dusky anonymity.

For some, hospitality is a gift. It’s where they thrive, it impacts which house they buy, or how they set out their homes. They feel most fulfilled when they have guests. For others, the weight of preparation weighs heavily on their shoulders. For myself, the temptation can be to view hospitality as something that I’m not equipped for, my small living space (and sometimes empty fridge!) doesn’t feel like an easy place to host others.