Monday, March 12, 2007

Middle Aged and Out to Eat


As a child I remember going out to dinner and sitting in the booth or at the table and watching the other people who were eating dinner. I am not talking about the 2 year old staring at the guy cleaning his false teeth. I am talking about just seeing and observing "normal" people eating dinner.

I would sit and wonder who they were and why the groups of people were together. I was looking at them as a mix of adults and children or just a group of adults. What I would try to figure out was what the relationships was between people. Most often I figured that the were a group of friends out with their family. It did not cross my mind that they were brothers and sisters spending time together. I also remember feeling sad watching people eating alone, I still do.

Growing up we did not do that kind of things with family. The one time I remember eating out with extended family, and I was not even there! It was the time my youngest sister was out to dinner with my other sister, mother, and "famous" great uncle and her getting sick at the table.

My father's brother and sister were 20 years older than him and we never or rarely got together with them for meals let alone going out to eat. My mother was an only child and did thing rarely with her cousins.

It never occurred to me that those "old"people could be brothers and sister enjoying time together.

It occurred to me this last Saturday night that I was one of those "old" people and the people I choose to eat out with are my sisters and their families. I was reminded of those time as a child looking around and wondering who those people were. I also realized that I truly enjoy the company of my sisters and their families. I think I knew this before but on Saturday it became embedded in me in a way I have not felt a truth in a long time.

I could not help but wonder what Son was thinking as he observed our table and the other tables. All I know is that I still watch the world around me and try to figure out the relationship are between people. I felt like I did as a child.

I guess that is why it hit me that we were one of those a groups of people eating out I remember as a child and I still felt like I should be sitting in my child seat watching and wondering.

5 comments:

Midlife Midwife said...

One of my favorite things to do is go out to eat with my siblings. I find it interesting that we are such a diverse group of individuals. I like the quote that says that God puts us in a family to introduce us to people we wouldn't otherwise associate with. :-) That is so true in my instance.

I loved the post about English. My husband was functionally illiterate in high school, failed most of his math classes, and yet went on to do graduate work in physics and math! He now writes 200 page technical reports...and has a secretary (or me) correct his grammar and spelling. He is my hero and I know that he has helped other people believe in their abilities to overcome. Thank goodness there are people like you and him.

Thanks for letting a total stranger pop into your blog. I really appreciate your Christian views.

SeaSpray said...

Hi PT pastor - I'm sorry this is off topic, but last night I posted a Christian topic because it was Good Friday. I just posted from some knowledge and Biblical accounts. Just a simple post about the last 7 things Christ said before he died on the cross.

Then I posted an article from JAMA that was written in 1986 regarding the scientific/medical things that would've taken place in his body during the whole process.

I am curious to know what your opinion is of the 1986 article posted by JAMA.

If you have time when your busy time is over could you take a peek at it? You are probably familiar with the 1986 article. And maybe there is more updated info but I thought that was consistent with what I have heard.

Thank you :)

laughing pastor said...

new one. new one!
mrs. laughing

laughing pastor said...

HELLO! You need a new post! Give me a new post! mrslaughing

laughing pastor said...

How in the world can I procrastinate things like a funeral sermon (need to get it done tonight) or a sermon or a sunday school class or ???? when you don't have a new post that gives me a few seconds of respite??? huh? Please. new post. please.
mrslaughingpastor