We’ve had our dining room table for thirty years, and it has been with us in houses in four states. Even though it’s old and scarred, we cherish it. We have eaten dinner together as a family around that table almost every night since our first boy was born. That adds up to around 10,000 meals. We’ve eaten holiday dinners and celebrated birthdays around that table. It has been the site of countless homework sessions, art projects, games, and conversations.
Our boys are now twenty-five and fifteen, and we’re still eating together around that table every evening. When we eat dinner, the television is not on. No one is looking at a phone. We are in the moment together, enjoying food, talking about our day, laughing often. It does help that my wife is an amazing cook, and some of our favorite meals are Chicken Tikka Masala, Thai Curry, Cajun Shrimp Ravioli, Pork Roast, Barbecue Ribs, Cajun Salmon, Chicken Katsu, Hawaiian Shoyu Chicken, all from scratch. She bakes our favorite cakes for every birthday and all kinds of desserts and pies.
I think this may be a less common experience in today’s frenetic and cluttered world. We never forced our boys to eat dinner together every night. We never imposed a no-phone rule. This is simply the way we have lived our life together. I know this simple practice has shaped who we are and instilled values in our boys. It has provided a space away from the stress and noise of the outside world where our love for each other could grow and flourish.
I have lost my voice to ALS, but I can listen. It now takes me an hour to eat dinner, and I cannot eat or swallow when I smile or laugh. Of course, one of my boys will say something every night that makes me smile and laugh. I’m grateful I can still sit at that old table and smile.
I think that old table is sacred.
Yes my mum has a lovely old oak table that has been in her family for years. It has been through quite a lot of experiences in it’s time. She still has the table now.