This Humble Table

   Here we are celebrating Anna, Sandy and Anders birthday dinner.

I don't often write about a piece of furniture, but our dining room table deserves it.   I thought about that tonight as I looked at some photo's from our family dinner on Friday night, and after the center leg underneath the table broke off today.  

I am guessing that it was more than twelve years ago when we found this table on Craigslist.   I don't think we had Anders yet and he is soon to be twelve.   It was only $200 and it was quite the purchase.  Anna and I bought it from a lovely old couple on Bilodeau Court.  They shared with us stories about how much they used the table when their family was large.  They were ready to downsize and we were the lucky ones who found it and carried it piece by piece into the back of our VW Jetta Wagon.   

We agree with them.  It has been a tremendous table.  We've had so many meals around this table.  Meals with new friends, old friends, family, guests, children, and even meals with stuffed animals.  This oak table expands to include six leaves and shrinks to a mere five foot square, although we haven't had it that size in years.  We use it for meals, for craft projects, for creating cookie masterpieces, for rolling out bread dough or even playdough.  I often take it's functionality for granted.  But today, today, when that center support leg fell off, I had a moment to feel the true gift of this table.   I feel grateful for its constancy.  Every single meal and every single day.  

And now I feel grateful for Anna - who I know will be fixing the table tomorrow so we can continue meeting here, at the table.