Pineapple Welcomes

Spending the majority of my life in and around Chicago, I was surprised by many things when I moved to Rhode Island. Yes, Rhode Islanders have quite the accent, they eat ‘pizza’ that is just crust topped with marinara sauce (no mozzarella!), they drink ‘coffee milk,’ they prefer Dunkin Donuts to Starbucks, and since the state is so small, many people refuse to drive to neighboring towns because it seems like too long of a trip. 

One particular thing that I found interesting was the number of pineapples in Rhode Island. I don’t mean the availability of the fruit in grocery stores or at restaurants. I mean the number of pineapple sculptures and home decor. Pineapples are everywhere in Rhode Island, which was not the case anywhere in the Chicagoland area.

Outside of my place of work, there were two decent size stone pineapples on each side of the main entrance. You see them as door knockers on many of the historic homes and buildings. As you enter the Italian neighborhood in Providence, there is a giant pineapple sculpture suspended over the road. It was alarming, mainly because I did not trust the physics involved in keeping a stone pineapple the size of a car hanging precariously over the road on which I traveled.

I remember finally asking a local Rhode Islander why there were so many pineapples around the state. “Oh,” he said, “It’s a symbol of welcome.” This was also peculiar to me, because if you know the stereotype of Rhode Islanders, they are not known for being warmly welcoming.

So, the pineapple is a symbol of welcome and hospitality. But, it’s also a symbol that reminds us that we are welcome, and can show up, as we are. With doubts, wounds, fears, insecurities, joys, secrets, happiness, or hopes.

Although we don’t have a large stone pineapple hanging over the Dell, I hope that as you return to campus, you are reminded that this place is one of open, inclusive, and warm welcome and embrace. Welcome, home. You’ve been missed.