Eat Facing Each Other
March 10, 2008
I have been collecting images of families eating together across many cultures and down through centuries of time. Whether they squat on jungle floors, sit cross-legged on carpets, recline on mats, or sit around open fires, they have one thing in common: they all eat facing each other.
Making that symbolic circle feels protective. For this little bit of time, we're shutting out the rest of the world. The "we" becomes the people in our circle, the people we can see.
Mealtimes are a chance to focus on each other. We look each other in the eye. We see what others are eating, or what they are not. We get a quick snapshot of each family member, an early warning if something is going badly or well. And we can take low key, casual action toward setting things right. Talk is easier in the family circle.
For a few moments, nothing else competes for our attention. It's just our loved ones tasting something yummy, talking about our day, keeping track of who we are.
Mealtimes Matter Video
from Miriam Weinstein
About Miriam
Miriam Weinstein is an award-winning documentary filmmaker. As a journalist, she has won several awards from the New England Press Association. Her work has appeared in Boston Magazine, the Boston Globe magazine, Hope, and ParentSource. A former staff member for North Shore Weeklies and freelancer for Essex County Newspapers, she writes restaurant reviews and food columns as well as features on a wide variety of subjects. She lives in Gloucester, Massachusetts, with her husband and has two grown children.
The Surprising Power of Family Meals
In her book, The Surprising Power of Family Meals, Miriam Weinstein shows how this basic human institution helps nourish and strengthen our families today. You can buy this book from our friends at Smucker's® Online Store.
