When Melissa asked me to do a Wishful Thinking post, I tried
to think of something clever and transporting and unique to write about. And
then I kept thinking…and nothing rightfully clever or transporting or unique
came to me. That’s what you get for trying too hard, I suppose. So, in the end,
I went with the simple and decided to ponder on the one thing I do a lot a
wishful thinking over: a table.
I live in a one-bedroom apartment. It’s not one of those
“one bedroom apartments” that has an entry, a kitchen, a dining room, a living
room, a hallway…and just one bedroom. No. I have a door that jack-in-the-boxes
you right into the apartment – no greeting, no hello, no pause for breath – and
you’re in it. All of it. My kitchen is an open-plan with a bar-style counter
that opens into the main living room where I literally do all of my living.
This living room seamlessly transitions between gathering space, reading nook,
TV room, office, and sitting-with-your-feet-up zone. I say “seamlessly
transitions” because it’s literally the same space where I do all of those
things. I do have a bedroom though, which is where I get to sleep, and…
But back to the subject at hand.
Since I literally live on top of myself, having friends over
for dinner or a movie requires some extra planning and engineering. Don’t get
me wrong – I’ve packed about 40 people in this joint for cocktails, but
sit-down dinners for more than two people usually mean sitting down on the
floor and holding a plate of food in your lap. After I turned 30 this nonsense
should have ended, but 5 years later I’m only just realizing that I, and my
friends, deserve better.
I moon over tables. I come across images of tables in
catalogs or on blogs, in a movie or on a website, and something gets me right
in the gut. I want that.
To me a table is so much more than just a table - it’s an
invitation. The very nature of a table is all about gathering: people, things,
ideas, discussion. All of these things happen around a table. Inherent in its
meaning and purpose is the idea of exchange and enjoyment. People eat food,
play games, assemble puzzles, collaborate on designs, draw pictures, do
crosswords, laugh, shout, sing, drink, create, and even fall in love, all
around a table.
Tables may seem hard, but they’re very flexible; there’s no
size-ist attitude when it comes to a table. When you buy a table they give you
the dimensions and tell you how many people it should comfortably fit around
it. But, as we all know, it’s when more and more people start to squeeze in
that the magic happens.
Tables build friendships, ideas, businesses, and families.
They also inspire. There’s nothing like a broad, flat surface to get the
creative juices flowing. It’s just a simple plane, but it begs for color,
texture, adornment, or to be just left alone in perfect peace. It can be carved
and ornate, or as essential as an old door on a set of legs. It doesn’t judge.
Living the way I do, I frequently think about a table of my
own – how I’d use it, arrange it, put it through its paces, who I’d invite for
dinner and what I’d make. If there’s anything worth wishing for, this is it.
Leave it to the clever Annie of Poetic & Chic to turn something as simple as a table into a magical, heartfelt wish. I've never thought of a table to be of such importance, but now I get it. Truly, a table is the anchor for so many wonderful moments, memories, and milestones in life. Still shaking my head over Annie's delightful wish, but then again, she always seems to leave me in a trail of thoughts...the girl is good. Visit her, I guarantee you will enjoy all she has to share.
