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A Dinner Table Tradition Continues
August 28, 2009
The conversation at my family dinner table tonight was an uproariously funny mix of myth-versus-fact as we debated a topic related to sex. Afterward, four things struck me about the conversation:
1) It wouldn’t have taken place unless we made a concerted effort to be in the same place at the same time with the TV and cell phones off;
2) It changed the mood in the house from harried to happy;
3) In most houses, such a conversation would never take place due to the nature of the topic;
4) The conversation reminded me of those I heard when I was growing up.
I grew up in a home where sexuality was respected as an important part of life, but one that could also be laughed about. I’ll never forget the day Mom gave us a blurb torn from Cosmopolitan magazine wherein the “perfect” breast was described as one that was able to fit into a champagne glass. Thank goodness our parents’ champagne glasses were martini-shaped rather than flute-shaped, given the speed with which we giggled and ran to the china cabinet to see if we measured up. Or the day our parents gave us the first issue of Playgirl and allowed us to post Burt Reynold’s naked (but not explicit) photo in our bathroom. Burt watched over the toilet for years, catching our friends and relatives by surprise.
Families have differing levels of comfort with discussing sex, and the family I grew up in and my family today may have an uncommon level of comfort discussing sex. But I hope not. I hope a lot of families are talking about and laughing about sexuality because they are comfortable with it as a joyful part of human nature.
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