“What happens around the table is more important than what’s on the table. That’s why a simple meal can be a simple moment. But if it’s enjoyed in the right company and treasured to the fullest, it can become an everlasting memory.”

I remember the words of my father as he whispered in my ear, usually over a cup of coffee, sometimes over a Mate (the traditional Argentine tea):

“Son, don’t let these moments just pass you by, for it’s easy to do so. To think nothing of them. But it’s these moments that can be the most meaningful ones; the moments where you and I share a minute in this journey we call life.”

At that time, I was working in the luxury hospitality industry. I thought special moments needed to be surrounded by fancy food, with all the bells and whistles. Don’t get me wrong, the fancy things can make a special moment even more beautiful, but I was mistaken in thinking that they were necessary to enjoy the moment. At the end of the day, it’s the love we share with those around us that fills our hearts with everlasting memories.

I’ve since learned my father was right. And now, when I sit at the table for dinner, or gather around for a cup of coffee with my wife or my children, I tend to close my eyes for a moment. To take a mental picture of such an amazing experience. I take a deep breath and try to treasure every part of the experience. The smell, the sound, all of it.

We never know when and if these moments will repeat themselves. And so, instead, I will keep this moment in my heart for as long as I can and close my eyes to revisit it when I need the love captured in that memory. My father was right; The simplest moments around the table, if treasured to the fullest, can become memories that last a lifetime.

By the way Dad, I still remember our cups of coffee and everything about those moments.