Recently, Austin read a book in his English class where he has a very good teacher (my niece Jillian)! She has introduced them to some wonderful literature; both classic and contemporary works. They just finished reading Mitch Albom’s, The Five People You Meet in Heaven, and Austin just loved it! They also watched the movie version and had some interesting discussions. In their companion journal, his teacher asked very thought-provoking questions about significant people and situations in their lives. Austin and I talked for days about these questions and it got me thinking as well. Who would be the five people I’d want to meet in heaven? If I could invite anyone to dinner, that is living, who would they be?
I’ve pondered these questions over and over. Would it be the great leaders and well-known achievers that I’d have for dinner? I would like to have Bono as a guest so we could discuss his campaign against poverty. I’d maybe ask Bill Gates just so I could hint for an endowment for our school as well as some computers perhaps! (And maybe he could fix my persistent laptop problem!) I might ask President Obama a question or two. For instance, why, when you campaigned against earmarks, you have allowed nearly 8000 in your current budget? My favorite is two million taxpayer dollars for research on why pigs stink? I grew up in farm country and can answer that for free - they roll around in their own, well…you know! I’d love to see that two million go towards hunger relief or autism research but pig odor? Is it really that big of a deal – hey, pigs stink so deal with it! I don’t mean to be controversial and I respect the office of the President and pray for him as all Christians should. I might ask him, however, how he deals with the weight of the world literally on his shoulders. The typical guest for many might be the Pope. What must that be like? How does one ascend to pope status? I mean, one goes from virtual obscurity to speaking to the masses overnight - how does that feel? (I have a very curious nature, by the way.) Then I might have Nelson Mandela so we could discuss his imprisonment for 27 years and his fight against apartheid. What would it feel like to be locked away for something you truly believed in?
So far my guests and I would have stimulating discussions and debates but who else could be there? Would I go for the famous, the infamous, the inspirational, the spiritual, the academics, the motivational, or the news-worthy? Maybe Martha Stewart would come to help me prepare this grand dinner and share some of her secrets. Maybe Oprah would share her favorite books and Barbara Walters could ask better questions than I and make everyone cry. Maybe the “octo-mom” or Brad and Angelina or The American Idol contestants - I just don’t know! It’s too hard to figure this out and maybe I know why. I already have my guest list.
My favorite dinner guests are the people that I live with. I love sitting at the table listening to my daughter or just looking at my son. I love the conversations that I have with my husband that cover every topic imaginable. I especially love the laughter that nourishes my soul more than any Martha Stewart dish could. I love lingering after we finish eating because the conversation is too good. I love when we have extra people, too. I love it when the cousins are over or extra friends or family. I love the rich aroma of joy that fills my kitchen even while we’re cleaning up and still talking and laughing. I leave these dinners full - discussions had, mysteries solved, debates won, curiosities satisfied, and questions answered. Then comes the best part, the dessert, the icing on the proverbial cake…I get to come back the next day and do it all over again.
