A Table Big Enough

I want to tell you a story. A story about a family. A family that ate together every day at their kitchen table. There was room for all of them. They sat. They ate. They laughed. Life was good.

            One day the family learned that soon two more children would be arriving! They were thrilled! They talked about the new children. They dreamed about the new children. They prepared for the new children. But what about our table? It’s not big enough! The decision was made to add a bench to squeeze everybody in. When the new children arrived, there was room for everyone. Life was very good.

            As the days past, discontentment arose. Some children complained about being squished. Some children wouldn’t eat. There were mean eyes, harsh words, hurt feelings & on at times, tears were spilled at the table. So a new table was found slightly larger than the first. The bench was replaced by chairs so no two children would be touching. But, something was missing. There were not enough chairs for everyone. The parents decided it would have to do. Life was hard.

Some days the children ate first then the parents followed. Other days, the parents would just eat standing up while the children sat. Many times, the parents ate alone in the other room. They could overhear their children in the kitchen talking. They argued and they sang, they yelled and they pouted, but they were together. Life was changing.

            Finally, the day came when the family had had enough. Some children wanted to sit with the parents. Some children didn’t want to sit alone. Other children didn’t want to sit at all. The parents missed their faces around the table, their laughter and their singing. They decided the arguing and the tears may still sometimes be, but being together through them was the most important part of being a family. So, the decision was made and a new table was found. It was big enough for everyone and life was the best yet.  

 

 

This is the story of our family. Yes, we did buy a new table, but it’s so much more than that. It’s about making room in our life for change and for two little people. It’s about becoming one big family and finding our way in that journey. There’s room here for all of us and now we have a table that fits us as well.