Coffee Shop Reflections

I'm sitting at a coffee shop this morning trying to think about what to write.  There are days when the words come easier than others, but this isn't one of them.  

A wise person once told me that when you have writer's block, write about writer's block, and you'll find your way through it.  There's so much wisdom packed into that statement, don't you think?

There is a young couple sitting next to me talking about the guy's new job.  She appears to be someone who works with him but seems to also be a friend.  

Earlier, I heard him ask for her advice on how to do well at the new job, and she launched into a fifteen-minute verbal checklist.  Actually, the snippets of advice she is giving him are all pretty awesome.  

"Don't be afraid to stay late to get the job done... nobody likes a clock watcher."  
"Ask questions, don't pretend like you know what you are doing when you don't." 

The guy is not taking notes.  I want to hand him a piece of paper and a pen and tell him, "Dude, you should be writing this down."  

A guy wearing a motorcycle jacket and boots sits down a few tables away from me.  He keeps his sunglasses on and begins talking on his cell phone doing some kind of business.  He's almost shouting, so I put on my headphones and start listening to music so I don't have to hear him.   

I notice that the girl across from me is reading a book entitled "How to Bring Out The Best In People." Her lips are moving while she reads, and every so often she takes notes on a spiral notepad.  

I see a couple of older ladies meet one another near the door. and exclaim with greetings I can't hear because of the headphones.  They embrace, and then make their way to a seat.   

A few seats over, there is a small group of people in dress clothes, appearing to hold a business meeting.  They are all looking at spreadsheets talking about the numbers they are all seeing. 

There is a guy sitting next to me who appears to be my age, but he's clearly doing math problems out of a huge math book.  Every so often, he clutches his head in frustration as he discovers he did a problem wrong.   

Two moms who look like they just went to the gym after dropping their kids off at school are in a table to my left.  One of them looks tired and worn and seems to be sharing something personal with her friend who is listening intently.  

And we are all connected.  Not just in the moment that we are sharing in the same space, but in every way.  We are connected by our desire to know and be known.  We are connected in our need for clarity.  We are connected in the way that we are created in God's image.  

We are surrounded, permeated and inundated by the glory of God's presence.  As the Apostle Paul once wrote, "For in [God] we live and move and have our being."  

I find myself suddenly loving all of these people in a strange sort of way that fills my chest and makes it hard to breathe.  We are all part of this.  God's love is for everyone.  God's grace and mercy in Jesus are ours to embrace.  

May you feel that same connectedness and love today and every day.  And may the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you now and always. Amen.