Opening hearts is an art requiring huge sensitivity. Buchman once said that the ‘art of reconciliation’ had not kept pace with the art of war. One way he promoted the art of peacebuilding was through imaginative hospitality. Hearts may be more receptive to new thoughts and approaches when people feel relaxed.
In this picture from 1938, these girls are helping Buchman to cut his birthday cake. Buchman was the son of a hotelier from Pennsylvania, and he always appreciated well cooked food and the cathartic power of humour.
