If you’ve ever struggled to find a place to belong, comparing this to finding a spot in a junior high or high school cafeteria, especially if you are new, might be relatable. There’s so much happening with noise and constant movement in all directions. You might see an open spot on the other side of the room but on your way over, someone else grabs that empty seat. You see someone waving you over, but then come to find out they were really motioning to the person behind you. You scan and search all around and no one looks familiar and there doesn’t seem to be any space for you in any of the tables. But when you find that open chair, or even better, you find someone who invites you to sit with them, it makes all the difference to begin to belong.
I moved to Owasso the summer before my junior year of high school. Because I ran cross country, I was able to make some connections before the school year started. There was a senior on our team who spotted me that first day of school and motioned for me to sit with her at lunch, and that became my lunch table group. They were all seniors and were a fun and friendly group of friends and it’s who I stuck with throughout the year.
So, the first day of my senior year of high school was another new start. Even though I had been at the high school for a year, had other friends, and knew many more people, I still walked into that cafeteria alone. I spotted a familiar face, and we sat down at a table together, and other acquaintances filled in around the table. This random group of people that I was sitting with at lunch stuck together throughout the year. We began to really bond in a unique way. Some of us had classes together or had some cross-over in sports and clubs, but for the most part – our time at the lunch table was when we connected most. We had great fun that year and made the most of our experience. We planned themed potluck-style lunches on occasion that we called Senior Food Days. One of the girls wrote out the menu on a napkin and I kept some of those for my senior scrapbook. It’s a special memory for me.
The conversations and the experiences of sharing a meal, but more importantly, sharing time, are valuable. Don’t disregard a community around a table because you don’t know each other well. Coming together with others at a table is a special connection. The invitation to connect is important, too. As we strive to love our neighbor, pay attention, reach out to someone, and invite them to belong. Be open to the ways that God may bring a special community of people together for a particular season and what you can learn from one another in the time you share.
-Amy Givens, Director of Youth Ministry and Discipleship
