I Am on the Countertop of the World

Joe built a countertop. It is made out of a thick piece of rock hard maple and he sanded and laquered it until it became silk. It is in the kitchen. He also installed three small lights under the cabinets that shine down reverently on his masterpiece of the moment.

Now some of you may already know that he put this in over a year ago, but what is significant about mentioning it now is that I am still in love with its presence and am reminded each day that it has changed my life. The efficiency and beauty of this object did not fade with its newness.

Every time I turn on those little pin lights in the kitchen and they illuminate the sweet orange wall behind and the countertop I feel like, even though this place is small and I am paying too much and people are screaming outside about who knows what, everything is going to be okay.

Sometimes we turn the lights on and just stand next to it and talk, like we are out at a bar, but we are not.

It feels like I became an adult when that counter was installed. It can hold groceries filled with potential meals or it can display a beautiful tray of shrimp, lemons and cocktail sauce for a party. It can hold flowers or glasses or the coffeemaker but whatever it holds, it pays homage to and makes it inviting and warm.