Proverbs 25:17
Let your foot be seldom in your neighbor’s house, lest he have his fill of you and hate you.
"Guests, like fish, begin to smell after three days." -- Benjamin Franklin
Being a good guest or a good host is a tricky business. Consider, the departure. The same sentiment can be said for different reasons. Yet, however veiled the intention may be, it is often inferred accurately enough from the tone and insistence of the host. It is either graciousness or guilt.
There is a way of saying, "Goodbye" that communicates,
"We love you and wish you could stay longer."
and quite another, which says,
"If you loved me, you’d stay longer."
The first relays,
"I understand you have to go, but I want you to know that you’d be welcome to stay longer if you didn’t,"
while the second implies,
"I don’t understand why you’re leaving and I want you to know that I’m hurt that you’re not staying longer."
The irony is that both are aimed at getting the guests to come back again. Both want to spend more time with the guests, but only one is likely to produce its desired outcome. The first is grateful for the time and opportunity they had to host. The second is upset it did not get more time or opportunity. Both want their visitors to know that they enjoyed their time and would gladly welcome more of it soon, but only one produces guests who just as gladly want to return for a visit.
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