Have you ever had an unwanted visitor to your door? You know who I am talking about… Jehovah’s Witnesses, people selling stuff, political candidates, etc. I suppose, once upon a time, the idea of ‘showing up’ on someone’s door step was not that foreign.

I imagine, long before cell phones, internet, or even land lines, there was an acceptable custom of simply knocking on a door and the people inside would welcome the visitor in.

I know when I was growing up, we often had unannounced visitors at the door that my mom would welcome in and serve coffee or a chair to sit and rest. It was unheard of, to me, to send someone away from the door. I also remember the milk man knocking with a delivery of milk in bottles! Of course there was the dreaded paperboy. He would always collect his fee when I was the only one home. I would scramble around the house for loose change in an attempt to pay him.

I am not home during the day, but when I was, I was amazed at how many people still knock on doors. I remember having the man who would read our gas meter show up monthly. It got to the point where I knew when to expect him.

What has happened to that sense of hospitality? Is it because we all are too busy for visits? Is it because so many of us work now, so knocking on a door rarely ends in finding someone home?

I was thinking about this today at work. I keep my door open, so that there is an ‘understood’ message of ‘please come in.’ When I have to take a call or be on a webinar, I close my door.

Having made people used to my open door, it is comical how they react to my door being closed. Let’s just say they are stumped!

Do you miss that open door policy of long ago? Or do you prefer having your privacy intact, knowing that you will not have any unexpected visitors when you are at home? I’m just curious.

Know that my door is open for you… unless I’m on a conference call. Even then, come on in…just be quiet until it is over.