A Table Set for Two

Some of the loveliest evenings I remember had nothing special about them — except that someone decided to set the table properly.

It takes five minutes. A linen napkin folded once. Two glasses, even if one is for water. A candle, lit before the food arrives, so the room has time to soften. A small jug of whatever is in season: a few stems of eucalyptus, a branch of autumn leaves, three tulips leaning the way tulips do.

The food can be simple. Soup and good bread. A pasta made from what's left in the fridge. The table tells everyone that this moment is worth slowing down for.

I've started doing this on the most ordinary days — the Tuesdays, the rainy Thursdays. It turns dinner into a pause rather than a task, and conversation follows the candlelight.

Tonight, set the table for two — or for one. You are always worth the good napkins.