If I had to pick one item of furniture to symbolize my upbringing, it would be the family dining table.
There is something equalizing and intimate about breaking bread with someone else. A shared meal creates a union through shared experience and mutual emotional and physical participation. It is no wonder that so many first dates involve a couple going out for dinner. There is an implicit understanding that eating together is an invitation to another person to come closer, to connect more deeply. In those moments, little is required to feel as if one belongs to the community.
Today we observe All Saints Day. This message is adapted from “A table for saints” written by Susan Schneider in the February 2010 issue of Cafe e-magazine.