These days dinner reservations are practically a must. Lately, my house is no exception. Connecting over the dinner table has always been a priority in our household. At least five nights a week, the four of us dine together. We share the trials and triumphs of our days. We laugh, discuss, interject, and interrupt. These conversations around the kitchen table keep us connected to each other. Dinner is our time to pause everything else in life, no devices or tv are allowed. Notifications and alerts from the outside world can wait as we take the time to focus on one another.
Recently, the demands of four separate schedules have overridden our ritual. At least one of us has been missing from the table. I crave that time together more than the most savory of meals. The absence of that single event reminds me of how quickly time slips through our fingers. Kids grow up. Before long two kitchen chairs will be empty. Until then, I will continue to reserve a table for four, and cherish the gift of being together as often as schedules permit. Five nights a week might be too much to expect, but I will keep up the cooking in hopes of luring them back to the table.
