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The Special Plate

As a teenager, my Mother stumbled upon a red dinner plate at a yard sale and purchased it. There was nothing special about the red dinner plate except that it was completely unlike our set of white dishes. I wondered what Mom was planning to do with this plain red plate but I was soon to learn of her plan.

Soon after this red plate appeared, I received my high school report card which reflected grades of A's and B's. That evening, positioned at my place setting on the dining table was the red plate. In the center of the plate was a note in Mother's handwriting which said, "YOU ARE SPECIAL". The note continued, "We are both so proud that you are our daughter and wanted to recognized your hard studies which earned such good grades." It was signed, "Love, Mom and Dad". I was so pleased that I had been recognized as being special and loved.

As time passed, the red plate would appear from time to time on the dinner table. Sometimes there was a note or card on the plate. Sometimes there was no note because our family had come to recognize the red plate as meaning "YOU ARE SPECIAL". It was set at the head of the table to recognize Dad on his birthday and Father's Day each year. I made sure it was laid on the table in Mom's place on her birthday and Mother's Day. When Mom got a job she wanted, the red plate recognized her success. When Dad repaired a book case I had which had gotten wobbly, I made sure the red plate was at the head of the table to let him know I appreciated his special efforts.

No matter whether the event being recognized was large or small, that red plate was used through the years to let a member of our family know they were special and loved. At times, we would use the red plate to recognize a special guest, explaining to our friend the meaning behind the red plate.

I recall once, my best friend was invited to dinner while her mother was hospitalized with a serious illness. We placed the red plate on the table at her seat with a note letting her know that we loved her and were there for her.

When one of my friends became engaged, I searched until I located a plain red plate. I asked a friend to create a decorative calligraphy card explaining the tradition of the red plate. She and her family have enjoyed this family tradition through the years.

When I became engaged, Mother searched but could not locate a red plate. However, she located a plain blue plate. She knew this was my favorite color and she gave me this royal blue plate to continue our "YOUR ARE SPECIAL" plate tradition in my own family.

When my husband did something special for me, I would place the blue plate on the dinner table to recognize him. He joined in the tradition by sneaking the blue plate out and setting it on the table when he wanted to recognize me. We did not require a large event to occur to use the blue plate. For example, my husband washed my car so I recognized his effort with dinner on the blue plate. Once, he cut his hand badly and I had to rush him to the emergency room for stitches. Needless to say, he felt miserable. So I served him dinner on the YOU ARE SPECIAL plate.

The YOU ARE SPECIAL plate has been a part of my life for decades now and I have given many plates of various colors to other families, passing along with each gift as note explaining the meaning of the unmatched plate. This tradition has spread now to include many families.

Learn more about this author, Nora Caterino.
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