The night I realized it was never about the food

Last week I cried driving home, on a Tuesday night. I had just left dinner with my family. Nothing sounds special about that night. But it was our last dinner at our favorite mom and pop Chinese Restaurant, Moon Garden.

While we sat around the table laughing and crying a bit, noticing things that have always been there. I realized that minus my mom’s kitchen table and my Mimis kitchen table, those tables are where I have spent the most family dinners, birthdays, celebrations, and random Wednesday night dinners.

Those tables hold memories for my entire childhood. From having lunch with my Mimi, during her lunch break, and between homeschool lessons. Me and my sister sharing their pepper beef plates. Until we were old enough to have our own plates. And when my youngest sister was around 4 and she wanted Rice and Sprite for her birthday dinner. And after my grandparents moved away, the owners never failed to ask how she was doing. She knew our order before we sat down. “Four pepper steak, fried rice and egg drop soup”

For 30 years Moon Garden served my hometown. and many drove by never knowing the memories held in that building. The conversations, the friendships. The laughter.

Today I drove by the empty building, knowing that I won’t be able to share another family dinner there again. And I realized something. Something we don’t even realize we are watching die.

For the sake of convenience, for fast food we are losing the places were fried rice feels like home. Because it wasn’t ever really about the food, it was about connection. It was about being able to walk into someplace and it feel like home. In a world that ran 100 mph Moon Garden gave my family a place to slow down enjoy good food and good company.

As a society do we realize what we are giving up for the sake of convenience? What happens when all the locally owned mom and pop shops are closed? When you eat out, you place your order with someone who doesn’t look you in the eye, won’t remember you in 20 minutes, because they have had another dozen customers since they talked to you. Slowing down isn’t always a bad things in a world that keeps moving faster, but is losing the connection that makes us human.

Thank you Mr James, Mrs Amy, Mrs Rosemary, and especially Mrs Chloe,

for the hours, the love, and i’m sure the tears that went into building and maintaining Moon Garden. I hope that last week we showed you how much your impact on our lives has meant to us. Because as good as the food was, it wasn’t about the food. It was great, we loved it. But you recognized us, you always ask “how’s you mom” you watched us grow up, and I’m grateful for the time around those tables.

Love the table that always order “4 pepper steak”