“Surrounded by the people who matter,
gazing into the faces we love,
we count our blessings and share our burdens, reliving the daily dramas
of missed buses and skinned knees.
We raise jelly glasses and champagne flutes,
toasting accomplishments in classrooms and boardrooms.  And over homemade casseroles or haute cuisine,
relatives become loved ones and acquaintances become friends.

The table is where we mark milestones, divulge dreams, bury hatchets, make deals, give thanks, plan vacations, and tell jokes. It’s also where children learn the lessons that families teach: manners, cooperation, communication, self-control, values.

Following directions. Sitting still. Taking turns. It’s where we make up and make merry. It’s where we live, between bites.” – Doris Christopher

Quote from a terrific blog post about the importance of eating together as a family on the AHA Parenting website