I am sitting in Pret, rather thankfully as it looks quite likely to rain…
Instead of writing my blogs whilst sitting on the grass or pavement; or a random bench, I am back in my usual office’…
My home, the coffee shop…
What has lead me to lifetime of sitting about in coffee shops?
My first cup of coffee ‘happened’ when I was twenty one years old…
It was 10pm… I was returning from a late shift at the hospital, during my brief spell as a nurse! Climbing the stairs to my bedsit at the top of an old house in Bristol, I passed the bedsit below me – empty ever since I had been there – and the door squeaked open…
A dark haired young man popped his head out… ‘Hello’, he called out as I was disappearing up the stairs…
‘My name is Steve, I’ve just moved in… Would you like a cup of coffee?’
I hesitated for only a second, and then said,’Oooh yes please’… I liked the look of the tousle headed person standing below me; definitely worth experiencing coffee – never been had before – for.
‘I’ll just change out of my uniform, and be down in a few minutes…’
At 6am the following morning, many cups of coffee and a long and fascinating conversation later, Steve turned to me ( we were sitting on his bed, the only piece of furniture in his new home) and said ‘I love you Julia’!
I love you too’ I replied without hesitation… After all – we had spoken for eight hours – non stop – and I was drunk on the effects of coffee and connection!
‘Then we must make love now’, he announced…
‘But I’m on an early shift – I have to go to work…’ I replied
‘I’ll come back when I finish…’
And so I climbed the stairs to my bedsit, changed back into my nurse uniform and retraced my steps of a few hours earlier…
And so that is how my relationship with coffee began…
And Steve as it happened; I wonder where he is now… ? That tousle haired twenty six year old, now a sixty six year old man.
I have generally followed my inner voice, wherever it has taken me
Often to places that others have not approved of…
But this taught me to eventually truly let go of the fear of what others may think…
To be able to say
‘This is my truth, in this moment
It’s my life to travel the path I must – even if I find it leads to a dead end…’!
Whilst also fully recognising and accepting that everyone has a right to respond as they choose…
To have another view
To see things another way
The freedom is in having the courage to follow your own road less travelled, when deep inside you know this to be true for you… Whatever anyone else might say of think of you.
To truly know
This is your life
To fully live
Now