We have an established pattern. We give each other turns. And we respect what each other says. Even my decision to accept the position I now have in Wheeling, W. Va., was made at that table. I cherish my head, less to recall any specific issue than for the warmth and sense of completeness they've brought.
Mealtime grace is another factor of our family life.
This developed gradually, an evolutionary process that came to be ours. We began with a candle. Little hands struggled to hold the match that lit the wick. We used prayer for a time that offered snippets of Scripture and a short reflection, often astounding in how they captured the day's problem. Then, we held hands as we passed along a blessing for the day.