Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Thoughts on the Kitchen and the Table



I am a big believer in eat-in kitchens and round tables to go with them. The kitchen and corresponding table are where the pulse of the family lives and breaths.

In high school, I would occasionally be invited to have dinner at a friends house and I always thought it was interesting to see how different families interacted at dinner. If a sociologist wanted to see the state of the American family, they could just observe millions of families at their nightly or non-nightly dinners. What are family dinners like these days? Do we talk about the events of the day? Do we sit in silence and just eat the food? Do we have the TV on throughout the dinner with the whole family watching that instead of conversing? Does everyone at the table actually enjoy each other's company? Is everyone in the family present at the table or is there a consistent no-show? Is everyone at the table tuned in with with each other?

Growing up, it was where I would do my homework at night while talking with my Mom as she prepared dinner. It was where my parents, my brother and I would eat dinner every night for hours laughing and talking about our day. It is where my family still gathers to cook, eat, drink and talk...endlessly.

It is with sappy nostalgia that I can finally say that I have my own eat-in kitchen and table to go with it. The table is white, made of wood, round and is complete with cushions on the chairs in bright purple and patterned pink, purple and green. It took me forever to put it together but worth it. I do believe that if families and friends came together for dinner every night, sans TV, that the world would be a happier place.

Xoxo - AJ

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