I had a great phone with our son, our oldest, who is in college. I try to give him a lot of space. But, every long while, we are able to speak over the phone.
I try to ask open-ended questions and ask him how he is thinking about things. I try not to preach or give direct advice.
He is incredibly busy. He sounded happy.
Also, I learned that he and seven other friends get together for dinner at the dining hall every Sunday night. It is a mix of both genders, and it sounds like a tight group.
“Interesting,” I said. “A regular time for touching base. A bit like our Sunday dinners as a family?” (Each Sunday night, we have a special home-cooked meal together, and the children have sparkling cider served in wine glasses.)
“Yes,” he said. “In fact, we call it ‘Family Dinner.'”
I don’t know why, but, that really touched me heart. I’m glad that he is able to build in regular time with a special group of friends. I’ve always hoped that our children will look fondly on our Sunday evenings together.
Everyone needs a family. And, I hope that everyone can have a family-like dinner on Sundays with the support and connection such moments provide.