I hear something like this all the time.

Friday I had a meeting for a project I have been working on for almost four years.  This year will see the fruit of a long conversation.  Over the course of this time, a deep relationship has developed between us.  One that I hope will continue, as what is shared goes way beyond the discussion of food.  It is about the relationships that come together at the Table.

Four years is a long time to work on something and recently, just as things were picking up – my friend “evaporated” – emails stopped, no phone messages were returned.  I was pretty sure it wasn’t something I had said, so I was glad when we were finally able to get back together yesterday.  It only took a few minutes to get caught up and to understand the delays – life – once again had intervened to change well laid plans.

My friend had just gone through a trying episode regarding the care of a grandchild.  He is now living with his grandparents and adjusting to a different environment.  This is a story we are familiar with in some fashion or another.

My friend allowed how one of the biggest adjustments was the fact that Michael; the grandson, had never eaten dinner at the table – he was used to sitting on the couch in front of the television.  There is no television in his new home.  What was remarkable, now that he was ‘at the table’, a big change was beginning to occur – he had a place to share his feelings, ask questions and feel like someone was listening.

I would say, he was feeling love.

This is the essential core of everything I am motivated to write about – gathering at the Table to commune. Without question where our food comes from, being connected to it, knowing how to cook it and find joy in that, and supporting a local farm economy are vitally important.  But none of that can happen unless we make our Table and sit down to share that food.  Actually, food is only the vehicle that allows the sharing to happen.

To me, it seems rather simple, yet somehow, this escapes us – which is to take time to regularly sit together and break bread without other distraction.

If you slow down for a moment and listen, you will agree, this is a familiar story – the Power of the Table – to improve our health, to nurture our family and friends, to share love.  What else is more important, what better use of our time?

Mark Rosenstein