7. My son Jonathan

Tonight we sat down to dinner, just the three of us, yet again. Josh was at the end, I sat caddy corner, and Jonathan sat across from me. We only take up half of our dining table, but we are cozy and really enjoy this little ritual of food and conversation. You think I am being cute, that Jonathan isn't really old enough to appreciate the value of family dinner, but there you would be mistaken.

Jonathan loves the cooking part. He loves to mix ingredients in my brightly colored Crate and Barrel bowls with my bamboo spoons. Jonathan loves the sitting down together part. "Sit, sit," he says, squirming in our arms to get situated in his booster seat. Jonathan loves the praying part. "Pay," he said one night in an interrogative tone. We did, and then he repeated his request... and then once more.

This is my favorite part of dinner, the prayer, and not because I am so spiritual but because I am learning things from my baby boy. Josh and I clasp hands and Jonathan reaches for his daddy's, right next to him. Then Josh reminds him, "Hold mama's hand. Put down your fork... there ya go." Jonathan drops his fork instantly as if to say, "Who needs food, we're going to pray!," and puts his sticky, chubby fingers into my own. W e both stretch a little bit to reach each other across the table. Then Josh bows his head, I follow suit, and then I look up. If I look up fast enough I can catch Jonathan bowing his head too, but only for an instant. After an instant, once he has participated in this family tradition, he pops up, eyes wide open, and chuckles. He thinks dinner prayers are funny!

That is what gets me... he has the most shameless joy and finds such simple delight in the fact that we are all touching, all bowing, all praying at once. To him, it is a wonderful and inspired family game, and the "Amen" at the end is the victorious culmination. His eyes squint in the most precious smile and he repeats it proudly.

How do I admire a one and a half year old? I think it is that I know I spent a lot of years not realizing that just to be together is a thrill. I can't remember the last time I found ritualistic prayer inspiring, even less can I fathom finding it fun. For me, many rituals have lost their luster and I have even forgotten their importance. Jonathan reminds me that heritage is often built upon what seems to be simple routine.