A Fractured Family
It seems that in my house all the family members are just ships passing in the sea. We see each other for a little while as we go through our days on very different schedules.
My oldest son is up very early and comes home very early then is off to the gym or to do other things he enjoys before he goes to bed early.
My youngest son is the exact opposite. He wakes up very late in the morning and hangs around the house until around noon then he goes to the gym and starts getting ready for work at 4pm because he works until 1am.
Kind of funny. My oldest son comes home from work at about the time my youngest son is leaving for his work.
My wife? Who knows. Sometimes its an early day. Sometimes its a late day. Sometimes its a short shift. Sometimes its a long shift. If someone were to ask when she was working I would honestly tell you that I have no idea.
My schedule isn't any better. Sometimes I'm working, sometimes I'm not.
How do we spend quality time together?
That really is a tough question.
If you look on television and movies you will often see families eating meals together. Breakfast in the morning before people go off to work and school. Dinner together after a long day. Time spent together to catch up and see how everyone's day went. It may be idyllic but for many people it isn't exactly practical, at least not in a modern age.
If you read my Actifit posts you will notice something. I'm very grateful when my family comes together to go to church. Life tends to tear the family together with the pressures and demands of the everyday. However, when we get together as a family to go to church at least it is one thing we can do and share together. A shared message. Shared singing. Shared values. If I'm lucky we can all go together for a lunch out after church so we can have a bit of time to catch up as a family.
Sure there is informal chats during the week at home in our comings and goings. Sure there are times when the kids track me down for help with something. My wife and I DO try to sit down and watch a movie together after work. However, family time is tough.
But have we lost something important?
If you ask me? Yes, I believe we have.
At a very basic level people know that without food we die. Sharing food instead of hoarding it is a bonding experience. In ancient times when food was far more scarce a family meal meant something. It meant that you were included, it meant you were cared for. Then again as food took much longer to prepare before the advent or prepackaged convenience food... it also meant that someone was looking out for one of your basic needs and when there was limited resources... eating together meant that food was prepared and distributed evenly so everyone knew they were getting their share.
There was a time when "going to bed without supper" was a real punishment. Why? Unlike today where the kids will just scrounge something packaged in the cupboards in old times there was nothing to eat if you missed mealtime. Sure there were food stores but that food actually had to be prepared and that took time...lots of it. Going to bed without dinner? It meant being excluded. It meant going hungry.
Today? It means more time to play on the computer or cellphone...and going to the door for Uber Eats when it arrives.
But there are other examples of just how important a shared meal was in days of old.
Just look at the word "Company".
Have you ever looked at its latin roots? It comes from two root words "Com" and "Panis". Those two words roughly translate to "With Bread". Company was literally someone you would share bread with. Someone important enough to care for with food, someone to spend time with...with food.
As a Christian there is another huge thing. We have what we call "The Lords Supper" which in the very early church was literally where Christians got together to share a meal. Being a part of something was important. Food brought people together in unity so it was baked right into our holy rights.
Family eats together. The church is family. Which of course means that "The church eats together".
Even today my church hosts a community meal every Saturday night. Just for a little more word fun. Notice that COM in community. Same root as COMpany. Except the other half is munus which means : gift, offering, duty, service, burden. The take home message: It means together in a good way.
Modern society seems to have lost the sense of "WE"
Today is seems everything is about the individual. The power of one person. How I can live MY best life or be MY best self. Honestly though? People work together better when we are united. Losing shared meals and family identity is quite a loss.
Even if it doesn't always seem like one.
Just my quick thoughts for the Hive Learners post prompt. Thanks for taking the time to read and as aways I enjoy getting comments.