Can you remember a time when you tried to sit at a table that wasn’t meant for you? For me, it started young at family gatherings where the kids had their table, the adults had theirs, and there was no crossing that invisible line.
That theme carried on into adulthood. I often found myself squeezing into spaces where I didn’t quite belong, dragging up my own chair and proving I was “worthy” of elbow room. But here’s the truth: I’m tired of constantly carving out space at someone else’s table.
The shift came in my early twenties, on a road trip with my husband and our 4-year-old son. We had spent the day diamond mining in Arkansas, simple, affordable fun for a little boy obsessed with treasure hunting. On the way home, we stopped at a nearly empty Pizza Hut in Arkansas. The sign said seat yourself, so we did. And then…nothing. No greeting, no service. Just the weight of stares from the staff behind the counter.
My husband leaned in and whispered, “We need to leave. Now.” As we walked out, their eyes followed us. By the time we reached the car, a truckload of men pulled in and tailed us until we got out of town.
That was the moment my world tilted. The moment I realized that while I’d always had the chance to pull up a chair, my husband and my son might never even be offered that opportunity. Not because of who they are, but because of the color of their skin.
That reality still sits heavy. But it also fuels our purpose. We no longer wait for someone else to make space. We build our own tables. And at our tables, no one has to fight for room. There is space, always, for everyone.
Moral of the story… Build a table big enough for everyone and if you are at a table that doesn’t have enough chairs maybe its time to build your own.. ❤️✌🏼- Jamie
Moral Of The Story 