someone laughs, she stares and processes it all. You can see her little cerebral
wheels turning, trying to figure out what made that person crack up. And then
she laughs, too. The dinner table has been a wonderful place to watch her grow
and learn, right before our eyes.
At these family meals, passing plates is just a proxy for passing along
wisdom, memories, ideas, and questions. (That’s one of the reasons we don’t
allow digital devices at the table. Lisa and I wanted to establish the importance
of eliminating distractions so we can be present for each other.) One of my
favourite family traditions involves something that happens when we’re at my
in-laws’ home. The dinners include all kinds of fresh dishes and natural
ingredients. They’re full of flavour—really tapping into the taste of umami, that
magical essence of certain savoury foods on your tongue. While I’ve always
appreciated the meals that my mother-in-law, Emily Jane, makes, there’s
something I love even more about those dinners.
She brings a reading to share.
They can be readings about love, about friendship, about the world around us.
They’re not long, but they’re always thought-provoking and get the conversation
going in a way that makes us appreciate each other’s viewpoints and feelings.
It’s not a kumbaya exercise that Mum likes to do. It’s a way to honour the
sacredness of the family gathering at the table.
Now, I don’t think every meal needs to have a script or sermon, but I want to
challenge you to rethink how you eat as a group of family members, friends, or
colleagues. Conversation doesn’t always have to revert to things like office
politics or today’s headlines, though there’s a time and place for that. Try simple
conversation starters like asking everyone to name a movie they’d take if
stranded on a desert island. Or have everyone tell a story about their favourite
teacher. Or ask each person to share the nicest thing they saw that day. If you do
it right, the discussion and joking around linger at the table and last in your
memories.
THE SINGLE SECRET TO A HEALTHIER
HOME
Studies show that people who eat eleven to fourteen home-cooked meals
per week are 13 percent less likely to develop type 2 diabetes than those
who eat six or fewer meals per week at home. You don’t have to log Julia