I can see you hovering there. Not quite sitting, not quite leaving. You’re doing that dance, the “I don’t know if I belong here” shuffle. It’s all right. Pull the chair out. It creaks a little, but it’s sturdy. Sit down. This table’s got room for you.
Now, before you start protesting (yes, you). Not the more confident version of you that shows up after three cups of coffee and a pep talk. You, right now, with the laundry half done, the big dream you’re not sure you deserve, and the voice in your head asking who let you in here.
Let me tell you a secret: everyone at this table started the same way. The first magician to ever pick up a deck of cards fumbled the shuffle. The first storyteller stared at a fire and thought, “I don’t have anything worth saying.” The first poet tripped over their own tongue and decided to write it down instead.
We’re all impostors until we’re not. Don’t let the (nonexistent) fraud police frighten you.
The Empty Chair Isn’t Empty
See, the table’s never really full. There’s always a space waiting, not because someone left, but because someone new is supposed to arrive. Maybe that’s you. Maybe you’ve been standing at the edge, waiting for permission. Well, permission granted. Your seat doesn’t require applause. It doesn’t even require readiness. Just presence. You don’t have to have your story figured out to start telling it. In fact, most of us are telling it in order to figure it out. The table creaks, the candle flickers, someone laughs too loudly, and the soup’s gone a bit cold but the company’s good, and the conversation matters.What You Bring (Even If You Don’t Know It Yet)
You bring something no one else can: you. Your rhythms, your wrong turns, your weirdness — the seasoning the stew didn’t know it needed. I’ve met hundreds of people across tables; séance tables, kitchen tables, card tables, and it’s always the same truth: the moment you share something real, even a whisper of it, someone across from you exhales and says, “Oh… me too.” That’s the magic trick. No sleight of hand, no smoke, no mirrors. Just shared humanity in the candlelight.So Scoot In, Friend
The chair’s already there. The story’s already unfolding. You don’t need an invitation written in gold ink. Just sit, breathe, and speak when you’re ready. Because the table isn’t complete without you.Across the Table
If this struck a chord, pull your chair in a little closer. Each week, I share stories, reflections, and a little magic Across the Table; in print, on stage, and on screen. You can:- 🎭 Catch a live show at the Stanley Hotel and see the stories come alive.
- 📺 Follow on YouTube for moments of wonder, wit, and whispered truth.