Bittersweet celebration at the Big Table

    |    Posted by Becca on November 15th, 2010    |    Becca's life

big-table

My friend Ashley has had dreams of a BIG farm table to host her most beloved under the stars in her back yard.  Her husband Jeremy gave her one of many beautiful gifts I have seen him give her by building a truly BIG table with enough bench room to host a dinner party for 16.

In late September, Ashley invited a handful of women to the Big Table for a vegetarian feast, the menu all planned around the concept “bittersweet”.  As we sat down to dive into our first course, she read an excerpt from a book she had been reading, “Bittersweet is the idea that in all things there is something broken and something beautiful, that there is a sliver of lightness of even the darkest of nights, a shadow of hope in every heartbreak, and that rejoicing is no less rich when it contains a splinter of sadness.  Bittersweet is the practice of believing that we really do need both the bitter and the sweet, and that a life of nothing but sweetness rots both your teeth and your soul.  Bitter is what makes us strong, what forces us to push through, what helps us earn the calluses on our hands.  Sweet is nice enough, but bittersweet is beautiful, nuanced, full of depth and complexity.”  (Shauna Niequist, Bittersweet, 2010)

This year, two of my best friends have dealt with the loss of a parent, a few have lost their own children, several have suffered heartbreak, and I understand more and more why so many people know life to be almost unbearably painful.  At Ashley’s table that night, each of us had our own understanding of the bitter.  Some of it so fresh that the words in that prologue probably seemed fluffy next to the pain.  But on that beautiful September night our friend Ash gave us a taste of the sweetest.  One of those windows in life where the beauty is bigger than what you could have hoped for.  Thanks Ash.  I wanted to share a bit of that beauty with you all.

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looks like salmon, but infact, it’s watermelon!!  This was my favorite dish

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As we were dining, the transformer just above us exploded, and not only did we lose all of our light, but we thought we might be swallowed up by a neighborhood fire

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The brothers got special treatment that night with new chalk and chocolate, and then climbed into bed together because of the explosion.

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13 comments

#1. On November 15, 2010 ash said:

Oh my goodness, my dear friend… I can’t even begin to tell you how this post makes my heart swell and burst. Thank you for being one of the reasons that my life is so sweet, and for capturing fleeting moments I may have forgotten.
I love you dearly!

#2. On November 16, 2010 allison cloud said:

such an amazing night.
sometimes i think your words in each entry are as beautiful as the pictures. “Some of it so fresh that the words in that prologue probably seemed fluffy next to the pain.” well-said friend.
thanks for sharing. i’ve been waiting for a glimpse…
xoxo

#3. On November 16, 2010 Julie Blanner said:

Beautiful both in purpose and aesthetics!

#4. On November 16, 2010 Sarah said:

brought tears to my eyes…what a beautiful experience and lesson, looks like something out of dream

#5. On November 16, 2010 Renee Welstead said:

magical night x 1000, love the pic of me and ash, thanks so much for sharing these! It was also fantastic meeting you after hearing so many great things…

#6. On November 16, 2010 Sherry Shockey said:

Is that Heaven? Your writing and photos bless and guide.

#7. On November 16, 2010 ericamay said:

what a perfect night, transformer explosion and all. :) celebrating life — the sweet and the bittersweet — with beautiful women is a joy. thanks for sharing the photos!

#8. On November 16, 2010 allyson cheney said:

this evening was absolute medicine to my soul. i am so thankful that you were there, and that you documented it so beautifully.

#9. On November 17, 2010 Chip Shockey said:

You are such a gifted writer along with all your other artistic talents, its just not fair to the rest of us earth-bound creatures. But maybe your best gift is your immense capacity for love of family, friends and community.

#10. On November 17, 2010 Paul said:

I don’t know you and am a complete stranger but the author of Bittersweet posted this on her facebook and I had to read. The pics are gorgeous, as is your writing – exquisite. Thanks for sharing. You are blessed to have such a wonderful family, husband, and friends…

#11. On November 17, 2010 Leigh said:

I recently read Bittersweet and this strikes me as a perfect interpretation. What a beautiful night!

#12. On November 17, 2010 Jewel said:

Yes, the images are stunning & yes, the quote is quite beautiful, and yes, the whole round about idea is just wonderfully magical and all-together lovely.

BUT, what stuck out to me most was that Ashley’s husband made this table just for her. Who knows, she could have asked him to. But, either way, whether she asked him to make it or whether he pocketed this idea after hearing about it in every-day conversation. A husband who encourages his wife’s dreams and desires is entirely sweet and should not go unnoticed.

Bravo.

#13. On January 3, 2011 Holly in Heels said:

I just LOVE this idea, and might copy it myself amongst my friends. Thanks for the inspiration!
xoxo,
http://www.hollyinheels.com

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