Friday reflection: A Table

06/24/2022

This is a story about a table.

Many of my generation are children of Holocaust survivors. They emigrated to America with nothing but the clothes on their backs and suitcases filled with dreams.

With backbreaking struggle and unwavering determination, the survivors were able to scrape together money to put a down payment on a “two family” house. The additional rent income helped pay the mortgage and would help fund buying some fancy furniture.

The house came with a postage stamp size lawn and the furniture was for show. The couch and chairs were covered with protective plastic, locking out all dirty fingerprints, stains and any chance of damaging air.

It also kept all feelings of comfort at bay;trying to sit on those plastic covered chairs created connections to sticky and plastic for all the days to come.

Fot 40 years the surface of the beautiful mahogany dining room table never saw the light of day; it was always covered with a tablecloth and a plastic topper which served as an additional thick protective layer. The gorgeous dining room chairs, the upholstery covered in yet more plastic, never had a warm body perched on the seat.

For all the years that the furniture lived with my family, this is the way it was. When the apartment was sold after both my parents passed away, the table untouched and perfect in all ways that tables need to be, came up for grabs in our family. With kids living in Israel and Toronto, and another who just got a brand new table, the table was now in need of a loving home.

A family member whose daughter was getting married offered to take the table. The table has now lived with them for 5 years and has served four children well; it has heard laughter, seen tears and felt spills. The table has been kicked and chipped; it has felt useful. The family is now ready for a new table.

Mazal tov.

This time the well used beloved table has already found a new home. A family of 12, who has never owned a table, inherited the table with all of its lumps and bumps. They are thrilled to finally have a table that will fit all of their kids and with room for guests. The oldest daughter is ready to get married and they can now proudly host the matchmaker.

My mom and dad would be so happy!

We never know where our life’s journey will take us. We plan our path and we do what we can to enjoy opportunity and to avoid and try to handle life’s challenges; some things work out and some just do not. The perspective you take on how to deal with what comes your way helps to build resilience as well as the ability to move forward to find their dreams.

Summer presents the best time to reflect on the accomplishments of the past year and the opportunity to plan for the new one.

Enjoy your time around the table; next week in Jerusalem.

Stay safe and Shabbat Shalom.