I've always considered the dining-room table as the center of a home. It's the heart, if you will. It is the place where people coalesce for the sustenance of body and mind; where food is enjoyed, conversation stimulated and where board games and cards entertain. The dining-room table is a place where the happenings of the day are shared, discussions are embraced, decisions are made and where laughter rings out.
The dining-room table connects the family because it connects all the five senses. From the moment, the aroma that curls around our nostrils, to the holding of hands in prayers of thanks, to the taste of food on our tongues, we are engaged with one another like at no other time during the day or night.
Yes, indeed, the dining-room table forges a togetherness that is quite unique and very precious. A togetherness that should be encouraged and nurtured
Before coming to America I had an octagon shaped dining-room table that seated 12 people quite comfortably in a circle. It wasn't easy to pass the salt directly across the width of the circle so good manners were definitely enforced by passing the salt around the table from person to person, nonetheless, its "roundness" promoted intimacy. I loved that table and have many, many very happy, nostalgic memories of sharing all the above elements, namely, all five senses, with very dear family and friends.
Regrettably I was unable to bring that dining-room table with me to America but nonetheless, it has been replaced with a long dining-room table which seats 8 with ease, 10 with a slight squeeze and I share it with my family and new friends.
My unsolicited advice to anyone starting a family or those who want to strengthen their family relations and interactions is to make gathering around the dining-room table an important part of your lives.
It really doesn't matter what shape it is. As long as it is big enough to seat the family and a friend or two. As long as it has comfortable chairs on which people can feel happy to enjoy hours of conversation or games. As long as it can be decorated, whether simply or elaborately to appeal to the senses, and is inviting to sit at. As long as the household rule to sit at it for meals is unwaveringly maintained, and undisturbed by television or outside distractions, the dining-room table will remain a steadfast and stable enhancement to the senses and a unifier of family and friends.