Saying a prayer before a meal

Growing up, it was common practice for a prayer of thanks to be said at a meal. Whether it was breakfast, lunch, or dinner a prayer was always said thanking God for the meal we were about to receive. At some point this practice, like many things, faded away. My immediate family stopped saying prayers at mealtime, and I did not notice.

Tonight this was brought back to me with a simple gesture. I had reached out my right hand to hold my wife's left hand. At the same time, my four-year-old son had reached out his left hand to hold my wife's right hand. My wife was reaching for both of our hands. For a brief moment we were all connected. I realized that this was a normal practice, something we often did before meals.

While we are thankful for our circumstances and the food before us we do not give thanks at the table. However, tonight I realized that we do give thanks: For each other. How often do people take their family for granted? The ones that we "Love" are usually the ones to whom we give little thought. Here though, I find that we give thanks for each other. For this I am glad.