Looks inviting doesn't it?
What if you could see into the future at all the dinners and lunches as one long string of continuous consumption? If you have, or hope to have children they more than likely started out life on the messy end of the continuum. I was talking to a grandma recently who said her son's three children, who are all under 4, think of mealtime as a grand opportunity to practice trajectory. Engineers have figured out how to attach toddler plates to the table using suction cups, but the food is still up
for grabs.
Back in the days of high chairs I remember wondering if it all made sense. Some amiable farmer in Iowa grew broccoli. It was harvested, shipped across the country, and piled in the produce section. I went to the store and bought it, carried it home, put it away, took it out a few days later, washed/cut/cooked it, served it in child friendly portions on the plate... then in the aftermath of supper scooped it off the floor, tossed it in the compost and waited a year for it to turn back
into dirt.
I suppose some of the food made it into their bellies. The fact that three of my sons are six feet tall suggests that it did. But was it an efficient way to feed them? I heard that astronauts solve the weightless issue by squeezing premashed food directly into their mouths. Then there are people who for medical reasons live on an I.V. for periods of time. Interesting.
But there are other things that showed up at meals besides the broccoli. The conversations, the hands held for a blessing, the feisty banter between siblings, the smiles between John and I over sweet things said.
I recall a supper fifteen years ago when the older portion of our progeny were enjoying a lively conversation about technology, and the younger set were being noisy. Micah had the great idea to invite them to play hide and go seek, since they were done eating and spilling. The twins bounded off and hid behind the couch. The discussion accelerated in the absence of distracting little girls. Every couple of minutes Micah bellowed a few reassurances that he was indeed looking.
"They aren't in the closet. Can't find them in the kitchen," all delivered from his place at the table. He plunged back into the discussion.
It was a good twenty minutes before the girls got disgruntled about his inability to find them and threatened to come out. He poked his head behind the couch, feigned surprise, and they were thrilled to have been so clever.
