where do i find dinner?

i'm lost.

i need a map.

where do i find dinner?

between the work schedule and the family schedule and the individualized-personalities of what each favors, amid the weekday and weeknight landmines of shifting schedules and the vector-beam pull of the direct tv line up and the modified diets due to surgery resulting in needing a peace-filled, tranquil landscape of soloism, where do i find the good-old-fashioned family of five eating together for dinner?

does it matter? for meal upon meal i didn't think so. BUT, i awoke with a startling thought at 3:40 a.m. this morning, horrified of the state of my family and it's degradation of the benefits of the family meal.

benefits, i say? benefits. and they are many.

health, planning and nutrition and balance and....to prepare a meal for another is an act of love and service and nutritional consideration.

social connections of the highs and lows of our days, the bond-unbreakable, the humor and effort of forming sentence after sentence in fluid and not so fluid conversation. the exchange of thought, the rhythm of words streaming together without the engine of electricity and keyboard and touchpad and text. Face-to-face, in real time at real speed and with real error and.....

the spiritual burst of praying and sharing and explaining and exploring faith.

where do i find dinner? i'm lost. i got lost along the way. it's a lonely crusade back to the top of this pile of spaghetti, but i aim to see it through.

tonight's pancakes.

one down. a million more meals to go.