The Turquoise Table

I've never forgotten a survey I did back in 2000 for the government. In it, I interviewed exactly 100 people. It was one question that shocked me. “Outside of my immediate family, I have few friends.” Ninety-five people agreed with that question.

We are feeling a poverty of connection here in America.

Kristin Schell has struck out against that lack of connection by doing something incredibly simple: placing a table painted turquoise in her front yard and visiting at the table with passing people.

I love this idea. I'm so happy I got to read about Schell's movement, and I can't wait to see where it goes from here.

Book club read. Planning to do dinner for the meetup at our friend's own turquoise table! I'm not particularly an outdoors kind of person (we've never been Backyard People, let alone Front Yard People, so I imagine if we had ourselves a picnic table ... it would be an obstacle for Matt to mow around and that's about it?), but it was nice reading ideas for creating your own community and practicing hospitality without it being a big, overwhelming production.