Welcome to the Holla Family Table.
Having a bad day? Having a great day? Looking forward to something exciting?
You can share everything once dinner time hits.
Since a young age, my parents have made it a priority to have dinner as a family, debriefing about our days. Initially, our dinner conversations were just another part of my day and did not hold much significance. One day, however, my mom returned from work with a brilliant idea she had gotten from a colleague. Rose, thorn, bud.
Rose – Share the best part of your day.
Thorn – Share the worst part of your day.
Bud – Share something you are looking forward to.
At first, this exercise seemed annoying and unnecessary. In other words, I did not think about my day in such depth and, sharing these three answers posed unhelpful. However, the self-reflection that was required to share my rose, thorn, and bud marked the beginning of growth. I noticed that on good days, my list of roses remained never-ending and I struggled to think of thorns. I grew in sync with thinking about my past, present, and future. I reflected on my day which allowed me to be ready for the future, with buds constantly sprouting. As a result, dinner time became my favorite part of the day, a time where my categorized thoughts and feelings could be heard and in turn, I would hear about the days of the most important people in my life. I urge you to establish this simple–but vital–part of your family dinner to nurture unity, growth, and happiness. Experiencing the beauty of this flower, I hope to plant the seeds of the rose in you.