Who Would You Invite to Your Dinner Table?

With the Thanksgiving holiday around the corner, I felt it was a good time for all of us to contemplate who we would like at our Thanksgiving dinner table if we were given the opportunity. There are so many people who have impacted our world in positive ways, so I ask the question, who would you invite to your dinner table?

Events over the last several years have recently had me reflecting on history, and the people who have come and gone leaving a major impact.

In the midst of these thoughts one question came to mind; if I could invite anyone to my dinner table, who would it be? The answer was not quite as simple as one might think. As I started to compile my list, I found they would be a multi-faceted and diverse group, and the table would need to be quite large to accommodate them all.

The people I have listed below is a small sampling of who I wish I could have the opportunity to talk with. They are religious figures, Native American leaders, Presidents, First Ladies, Civil Rights leaders, women's rights advocates, etc. Truthfully, there are too many to list them all.

Jesus - It would be a gift to hear about his life in his own words.
Pope John Paul II - first non-Italian Pope
Mother Theresa - Devoted to caring for the sick and poor
Dali Lama - Tibetan Buddhist
Sitting Bull - Lakota Chief and Holy Man
Crazy Horse - Lakota war leader of the Oglala band
Pocahontas - daughter of Powhatan, paramount chief of a network of tributary tribes in the Tsenacommacah
George Washington - 1st President of the U.S.
Abraham Lincoln - 16th President of the U.S.
John F. Kennedy - 35th President of the U.S.
Eleanor Roosevelt - the most controversial First Lady in White House history
Mary Todd Lincoln - First Lady
Jaqueline Kennedy Onassis - First Lady
Jane Adams - President, Women's International League for Peace and Freedom
Grace Greenwood - First woman reporter on the New York Times
Cokie Roberts - Pioneering American Journalist and political reporter
Martin Luther King - Civil Rights leader
Susan B. Anthony - Women's Suffrage, American Anti-Slavery Association
Harriet Tubman - American abolitionist and political activist
Gandhi - Indian lawyer/political ethicist; led campaign for India's independence from British Rule

From each one of these amazing and inspirational people, there is no doubt I would learn much I didn't know about what transpired during their time and how it shaped who they were. These conversations would lead to a better understanding and acceptance of one another.

Our cultural and religious beliefs shape who we are and how we live our life. What we need to keep in mind is that not everyone we encounter will agree with us. When we are not willing to accept this and allow others to live life according to their beliefs, we will always end up with a dysfunctional world.

Each one of us has much to offer and bring to the table. If we are open to welcoming those with different beliefs and ideas, it will open our minds to a world of possibilities.

Who would you invite to your dinner table?



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Rock of Gibraltar

Image
On our way to El Puerto De Santa Maria, we made a detour to see the Rock of Gibraltar. If you have ever seen a Prudential Financial advertisement, you will recognize the Rock of Gibraltar which is their logo. The Rock of Gibraltar is a single large block of stone 426 m (1,398 ft) high. It is a limestone peninsula and mountainous rock that jets out of the end of the British territory at the southwestern tip of Europe. It is home to a network of caves, including the famous St. Michael’s Cave, which is open to the public. At the top of the Rock, visitors can enjoy amazing panoramic views of the surrounding area, including Morocco on a clear day. Seeing the Rock from below is quite a sight, however, taking a tour to the top tells a much bigger story of how impressive it truly is. We headed out in a small 6-passenger van to make the climb up to the top of the Rock. The road is quite narrow and winds back and forth along the edge of the Rock. For someone like me who is afraid o...
Read more

Last Dance of Fall

Image
Of all the seasons in New England, fall is my favorite. The warm days and cool nights of early fall breathe life into my soul and energize me. The beauty of mid fall when the leaves put on a breathtaking display of red, orange and gold is a vision unlike any other. Then late fall arrives when the days and nights get cooler, the leaves fall from the trees and November arrives. November, one of my least favorite months (with March being the other); gray days with little sunshine to warm our bones and brighten our spirits. If it were not for Thanksgiving at the end of the month, and Christmas in December, it might be extremely difficult to get through the darkness. November can bring gloomy moods if we allow it to, so I try to find some fun and enjoyment even on these days. When my oldest daughter was around two, we happened to be looking out on a cool, gray November day. The wind was blowing hard, and the leaves were falling from the trees. As I stood staring...
Read more

What Others Cannot See

Image
Early on one would never know, that memories are fading away. A tiny slip up here and there, normal forgetfulness they say. Time goes by with subtle changes, friends and family do not seem aware. If they only see them now and then, what is missing is not clear. As time passes the ones at home, will notice what others do not. They see more things forgotten, bringing sadness and concern. Many may notice a repeated story, from memories of long ago. Not aware that these old tales, are the ones that remain crystal clear. In time the recent memories, become more elusive as days pass by. Questions that are asked and answered, will be asked again and again. What we can see in our loved one, is what others cannot see. New memories will not remain with them, so, each day will bring something new.
Read more