Hospitality

I've had a string of friends visiting lately, and one thing will always continue to surprise me about the experience. It's how often I get thanked for it. Now, don't get me wrong. It's not that I don't understand basic social norms. It is a nice thing to do, especially when the alternative would be having to pay for a hotel or not make the trip at all. At the same time, I think people significantly overestimate the burden that it actually places upon my shoulders. What limits does having a friend to share my apartment with actually put on my life? The sleeper couch in my living room will be a bed during the hours where I'll probably be in bed? The collection of board games that will frequently sit unused will actually get some playtime? I get to make coffee for two instead of for one, and feel internally rewarded when they tell me that I've made it well? These are not burdens at all. If anything, I am rewarded and fulfilled by the times I get to share this space, and chose this…