By Amy Hannon

Lately, I’ve found that I’ll happily be going about my day—a return to what feels like life before the pandemic—and I’ll encounter a sober reminder of what we’ve been through. Sometimes it’s a news story about a new vaccine, a conversation with a friend about the lingering ache of having lost a family member, or the realization that words like “variant” and “antibodies” have become part of the language we now speak. 

And for a moment, it takes me back. I remember all of the canceled weddings and live-streamed church services on couches in living rooms. Restaurants and retailers with dark stores and closed doors. Drive-by celebrations in cars. Sickness, fear, and desperation. The unknown, the distance, and the isolation. 

Sanctuaries, restaurants, and retailers have thankfully filled their seats again; we’re returning to all the big activities of our lives, surrounded by people once more. The busy streets, coworkers in cubicles, and packed arenas sure look as though society has recovered. I mean, look at the vacation pics, the lines at the grocery store, and the sold-out stadiums. Look at the bustling airports and crowded subways and bumper-to-bumper traffic! Finally, our lives are back to normal, right?! 

I don’t know about you, but I’ve found that things aren’t normal just yet. 

Perhaps life as we know it appears normal on this side of the pandemic, but I am discovering through conversation after conversation that we are not back to normal—we’re lonelier than ever before.

I believe that our collective isolation is one of the most significant Covid casualties of all. At first, we couldn’t fathom being holed up at home, sidelined from living together. But in the early months of the pandemic, the social isolation that we first abhorred became familiar, and that familiarity became a function of how we now live. The result of that is closed doors, closed lives, and, well, loneliness. 

I read recently that there are several countries that created official government positions whose primary focus was to combat the loneliness crises amongst their populations. They have all seemingly come to the same simple yet profound conclusion on what the best remedy is: hospitality. Building community through real-life, personal encounters in homes or over shared meals with neighbors and friends! 

As we enter the holiday season, there’s nothing better to focus on!

I have long believed that a simple invitation for connection and community via a hospitality encounter creates the ideal environment for emotional, relational, and spiritual transactions to take place. We desire the soulful warmth of a welcome, a home, a table, and a shared meal. We relish relationships and crave common ground. 

I’ve discovered that when I open my home and my life to others, our collective hearts are nurtured and strengthened. We cultivate deeper relationships as we identify and respond to one another’s needs through conversation or prayer. We heal one another with kindness and warmth, generosity and grace. Our openness leads to belonging; our belonging builds trust. And we find ourselves empowered to extend care not only to one another but also to the world around us. 

Think about this with me: now more than ever, people are hungry to gather and thirsty for connection. On some level, we are all lonely. We all ache for authenticity and humility. We all long to be seen, known, heard, and understood. We are desperate for the joy that comes through friendship and belonging. 

The world is primed for a hospitality revival—not elaborate dinner parties that dish up the finest fare but real, everyday hospitality encounters that offer the delicacies of common ground and grace. I’m learning that invitations sent with intention and plates served with purpose are better than perfect-looking yet inauthentic connections. We’re all just after hospitality that comforts, nourishes, and feeds us, body and soul.

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COMFORT CHICKEN POT PIE (Recipe from Love Welcome Serve by Amy Hannon)

Serves 4-6 

Ingredients:
-2 large chicken breasts, boiled and shredded 
-1 cup chicken stock 
-1 cup heavy cream 
-1 tablespoon unsalted butter 
-2 cloves garlic, chopped 
-1 medium onion, chopped 
-1 ½ cups sliced carrots
-2 cups frozen green beans 
-1 cup frozen peas 
-¼ cup flour 
-14.5 oz. can new potatoes, cubed 
-1 teaspoon thyme, optional 
-Salt and pepper to taste 
-1 pie crust round, store bought or homemade 
-¼ cup grated parmesan 
-2 tablespoons butter, cut into small bites 
-Extra whipping cream to brush on crust 

Boil chicken breasts in well-salted water; shred with forks while it’s hot. Set aside. Over low heat, combine chicken stock and cream in a small saucepan with a tablespoon of butter. Allow to just get warm. In a large saucepan over medium heat, saute carrots and onions together in olive oil. Add chopped garlic, and stir until garlic is fragrant. Stir in green beans and peas; stir vegetables together. Then, shake about a ¼ cup of flour over all the vegetables and stir to coat. Slowly stir in the chicken stock/cream mixture; on low heat allow the mixture to simmer a little. Stir in new potatoes, thyme leaves, and shredded chicken. Salt and pepper heavily—taste for seasoning. The cream sauce should taste well-salted. 

Spoon into a deep pie dish or divide between several personal oven-safe dishes. Grate fresh parmesan over the top, and add bits of butter on top before placing your crust on top. Top with refrigerated pie crust or homemade pie crust, and brush the top of the crust with whipping cream so it will bake golden brown. Sprinkle with salt and pepper over the top of the crust. Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes til the crust is golden brown and the mixture is thick and bubbling.

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Amy Hannon is a preacher’s wife, a mom of three, and owner of EunaMae’s—a one-of-a-kind kitchen boutique that is a special place to locals and a destination for many near and far. In addition to her store, Amy is the heart of a broad media platform that has included a daily cooking show on the Northwest Arkansas NBC affiliate, two books, an engaging online community, as well as curated culinary experiences for guests from coast to coast. Amy’s faith and love for the table are inspiring many to embrace her message of everyday hospitality. You can find more information about Amy on her website, and order her new book Gather & Give here!