Coffee Shops
In the last two days, I’ve spent an inordinate amount of time at coffee shops. Unusual for a non-coffee drinker. It seems that coffee shops have become the new community centers for a segment of our society. People of all ages gather at tables, lean in over the rising steam from their dark drinks, and share their lives with others at the table. It brings to mind a picture of primitive humans gathered in community around the rising smoke of their fires to share the stories of their hunt.
The first of my coffee shop encounters this week was a meeting with two of my co-workers. We work out of our homes, so Java Dave’s is our corporate office, our conference room. The relaxed setting, however, allows us many digressions into our personal lives. Work bleeds over into life. Later that evening my seventeen year old son invited me to Starbucks for a father/son chat. That little chat, by the way, cost me $4.00 for his coffee. We sat outside under the darkened sky and talked about important personal issues. Yesterday, I was back at Java Dave’s, this time for a reunion with friends I hadn’t seen in a few weeks. I left feeling reconnected and grateful.
One of the things we hold in common with our primitive ancestors is the desire to connect, to share our life stories with others who will listen and value them. Personally, I feel most alive with friends, family, and co-workers who value who I am more than what I can do. So, I am thankful for coffee shops, even if I don’t like coffee. More importantly, I am thankful for people in my life who hear me, and I am thankful for people who want me to hear them. Join someone over a cup of coffee this week, let the steam rise between you, and listen to who they are. It will be time well spent.
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I was drawn immediately to this article/musing. You know why. Our meeting was very gratifying. This was the first time in my life I had ever met in a coffee shop to visit with friends. It was a quaint privilege and honor. I didn’t even have coffee, but the $4.00 Razzle Dazzle Smoothie gave off the same vibes as the dark smooth soothing coffee. Thanks for your friendship…a sacred trust.
Dave