Can a cup of coffee be a symbol of hope?
As I stood sipping my coffee in our campus cafe, Massachusetts began to shut down due to Covid-19.
It was Thursday, March 12th, 2020.
Like most Thursdays up until that point, this was my SECOND stop for coffee that day because I would be teaching a workshop later that evening. Caffeine was my go-to for afternoon energy a year ago.
The wonderful woman who works at the campus café (we’ll call her Rora) has worked at the café since I was a an undergraduate adult learner student at the University back in 2008.
Rora. continued to work there when I became a teacher in the WELL program in 2014, and she still works there now that I am there full-time.
Most days, our conversations are light.
The weather.
A new tv show.
A new snack to try.
Our pets.
Other times, the conversations have been heavier:
Politics prior to 2021. (ugh!) or my mama’s illness. Rora was often the first person I would see in the morning when I first moved my mama here in 2019.
But for the past year, instead of making a beeline to the café to get my $4 coffee (don’t tell my mama how much I pay! 😂) I brewed it at home in my kitchen.
Now, is my coffee at home just as hot?
Yes!
Does my coffee at home taste just as good as the coffee on campus?
Yes!
But the FEELING the coffee gave me at home was different.
There was no side chatter from students and staff,
No “can you believe she did that?”.
No “did you study for Bio?”
No “I think I want to be a teacher”
No “I’m having a candy bar for breakfast”.
No “this is my last coffee this week I swear!”
Every morning cup of coffee I had was prepared by me in my own home (with the exception of our 20th wedding trip back in Oct.)
Until yesterday.
Yesterday I had to go to campus to have my weekly COVID-19 screening so I decided to stop by the café to see if it was open.
As soon as I rounded. the corner and Rora and I met eyes, we both smiled and rejoiced! It was just like old times!
Sure, the cafe looked visibly different but it still had everything we needed for an awesome morning: coffee, juice, fruit, etc.
Even behind our masks, we were genuinely happy to see each other! We could not hug, but we could feel the warmth from each other as we began to catch up!
In that moment, it was a silent celebration that we were beginning to see the other side of this awful time after a very hard year.
Rora and I stood in the light,
together.
So as we all ease into our new normal, I encourage you to reconnect with some of the people who made your daily work routine more joyful.
Like the person who makes your coffee in the morning and always spells your name the RIGHT way
Your child’s teacher (because you know FIRSTHAND just what an angel they are now that you have schooled them
at home 👀),
And yes, even THAT colleague. who annoyed you when you were in the office you and you actually miss now.
Do an inventory of all the people in your circle that make your work day more productive and pleasurable and as you see them as the world reopens,
Thank them.
Happy Friday!
Let’s #GetSentered
