Family Table

This is our family table.

 It's kinda been a source of irritation and embarrasment for a number of years. It seems like, the more time that goes by, it gets uglier and uglier. Scuff marks from dinner plates, marker marks from children's art projects and nail polish from Breanna's first attempts at painting her and her friends nails. All of it together just makes our table look plain ugly! I've been talking about painting or refinishing this table for years. When company comes over I usually throw a table cloth over it. But...

 

I recently had  a realization about this table and it's marks.

This table contains memories. This table is our family table. The scuffs and marks all mean something very important.

 



It means there were children here, learning, coloring, exploring markers and paints and expressing theirselves with art.

 

And learning how very permanent permanent marker is. Learning they prefer those permanent markers to all the others for their thin tips and strong lines. And also learning that it's always good to put a barrier between whatever you are drawing and the table.

 

 

It means there was a daughter here learning how to paint nails, making herslef and her friends feel dressed up and pretty. Loving doing this girly stuff.

 

It means there is a family here, eating meals together, talking about life and dreams and just plain enjoying the company and filling ourselves with healthy and yummy (sometimes more healthy than yummy) food.

 

And I realized, maybe I don't hate this table so much. This table contains memories of some of our times as family. This table means I have  a family and healthy kids that love to draw,  color and paint pretty little finger nails. It means my kids are doing things that many don't get the chance to do. And, all of a sudden, I kinda like this table now.

 

I think I will keep our family table the way it is for now. Maybe I'll give a chance to let another little child learn what it means to have a family table. Maybe she can leave behind her own memory marks. Proof that she was here learning how to draw, color and paint her pretty little fingernails. Proof that she, too, is part of a family.