Every holiday the same scene is played out. The family gathers, hugs, and catches up on each other's lives. At some point, one of the matriarchs will announce it's time for dinner. Everyone rushes to the table, bellies calling out for our favorite holiday dishes, mine is my grandmother's artichokes. For most normal dinners, a mad dash for food would ensue. It's not uncommon to get stuck with a fork as you reach for an olive, but on holidays, before any forks are lifted, we must say grace. And like every year, no one wants to take on the burden of saying grace? But why?

What is grace? What is it about grace that makes people a little bit shy, especially in my family where no one is ever at a loss for words? As I thought about grace I began to notice many aspects to this concept.

Grace is a word that has many meanings. It can mean a small giving of thanks. There is also the concept of "divine grace." Rooted in Judeo-Christian history, "divine grace" refers to an unearned gift bestowed on mankind from God. And there is also the idea of "graceful actions," such as Fred Astaire or Emmit Smith tip-toeing around the dance floor or Michael Jordan soaring through the air en route to another spectacular finish. And let us not forget the grace an embodied by beautiful Hollywood stars such as Marilyn Monroe or Aurdey Hepburn.

In all facets, it seems to me at the core of grace is a gift. So when we pause before digging into our holiday meals, we are stopping to acknowledge the gifts that are before us. The pace of our lives has become so hectic we can sometime forget the simple luxuries we have that others do not.

Maybe grace is a motivating element of the Slow Movement. Started in Italy as a response to increasing presence of fast food restaurants, the Slow Movement attempts to consciously seize control of the important elements of our lives. The most important things should not be rushed. At the core of this philosophy is the enjoyment and appreciation of how time is spent.

The time we have together here or at the holiday tables is something that should certainly be celebrated and appreciated. In good times, more chairs appear at the table. In tougher times, chairs are taken away for those who may have been lost. Taking notice and honoring those who are present and those who are not preserves the memories and builds strong bonds.

So grace has a gift at the core which we take time honor or appreciate. What then is something we describe as graceful? As a child I certainly was not graceful. Most people fall down stairs, I was known to trip going up stairs. You would think the son of a classically trained ballet dancer would have smooth moves. Unfortunately not.

In time I did find the activities which I did have gift for though, speaking for instance. I entered my first speech contest when I was in the sixth grade. It was a VFW contest for junior high and high school students. I was barely old enough, but I managed to place second. The title of my speech was "Challenge the Summit" and I spoke about the importance of setting, working towards and achieving goals. And I haven't shut up since.

Gracefulness takes time to develop, but everyone has a talent that is uniquely superb. To point at something and say "She's so graceful" is to take time from your day to honor that particular talent in others. This too helps build strong bonds between people by demonstrating respect and acknowledging the skills of others. It was worth taking a break to comment on a job well done.

And this is the challenge I leave you with today. Whether it's saying a formal grace or simply taking a moment to slow down and reflect on what gifts you have been given, the time spent will be well worth the effort.