She sat at the head of the candlelit dining room table, her heart heavy. Her six grandchildren—aged ten to sixteen—were each absorbed in their phones, their faces lit not by joy, but by the cold glow of screens. This formal dining room, with its polished table and flickering candles, had long been a sacred space for family—a place rooted in her Catholic faith. Tonight, more than ever, she longed to see it filled with real connection.
With quiet determination, she bowed her head and led a simple prayer, her voice steady with hope.
“Lord, bring us together as a family, to share your love,” she said, her words floating gently across the table.
Then, lifting her head with a warm smile, she introduced a new rule:
“Before we eat, each of us will share a compliment about the person to our left.”
The grandchildren glanced up, uncertain, fingers still clutching their phones. Silence settled over the table like a heavy cloth. Then, the youngest shifted in her seat and blurted, “Your goofy faces always crack me up!”
Giggles broke the tension. The ice had melted.
One by one, compliments began to flow—a quiet nod to a cousin’s soccer skills, a grin over a sister’s singing voice. Slowly, the phones were set aside and forgotten. Laughter took their place.
Even the quietest grandchild, usually lost behind a screen, offered a soft smile.
“It’s not so hard to say you’re awesome at drawing,” she said to her cousin.
That simple truth sparked more chatter. One grandkid promised to teach another how to sketch a comic. The room soon buzzed with stories, teasing, and shared memories. The candlelight danced across their faces—now alive with connection and joy.
Her heart swelled. Her faith had led her to this moment. A simple prayer and a gentle nudge toward kindness had turned distraction into togetherness.
They laughed, reminisced, and celebrated each other’s quirks, their voices weaving a new memory into the family’s tapestry. For the first time in a long while, the table felt like the heart of the home once more.
As the meal came to a close, one grandchild asked, “Can we do this again? It’s fun!”
The others nodded eagerly.
With shining eyes, she smiled. They agreed to make compliment-sharing a new tradition at every family dinner—a way to stay close, no phones needed.
In that candlelit room, faith and family had triumphed. And a moment of love and laughter became a memory they would carry with them always.
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