Good News: Reflect from the Dining Room Table
By: Ava Heinert
Growing up, my mom had three important rules: we go to church on Sunday, we make our beds and we eat together as a family.
It was so important to her that we set aside time in the day to be together, even if it was just for a meal — no screens, no distractions. The dinner table became a sacred space at my house.
No matter where I was or what I was doing, I had to be home for dinner. As a kid, I tried to fight her on it, but all of my efforts failed, seeing as I’m an only child and was outnumbered.
But as I got older, I really wanted to be with my friends. I wanted to go to the football games and the movies, and I wanted to be wherever the party was — wherever the noise was — because a house with no siblings was too quiet. My mom didn’t like the quiet either, so she encouraged me to get out of the house and make memories as long as it didn’t interfere with family dinner.
But I didn’t want to miss a second of anything, so, I brought the party to my house. I made siblings out of my friends. They joined our dinners, our parties, our trips — our life. They ate countless meals with us. And now, I realize some of my favorite memories come from that dining room table.
