Today, I’m writing you from Atlanta, GA. I’ve been in Atlanta taking care of a good friend and her toddler. My friend is recovering from ACL surgery. She’s been on the couch for a day or so and can’t really move around without much pain. Thus I’m taking care of her and her toddler. It’s been a lot of work for a divorced-guy, who has no children, but I’m certainly happy to do it. This morning another friend relieved me from my duties thus I was afforded an opportunity to escape to the local “Drip” coffee house. If you’re ever in Glenwood Park you should look it up. This coffee house has been my little safe haven on this trip. A place where I can escape for just a bit and be around a diverse group of people.
Speaking of diversity, I’m looking around the coffee house and I could be in just about any coffee house in the country. The clientele include a student, who is apparently researching for his Fantasy Football picks instead of studying or reviewing his big engineering book. There is a very attractive woman who is dressed in the famed “little black dress”. She looks like a “Road Warrior” with a background in sales but is actually the most attractive law professor that I’ve ever seen. She’s been very pleasant and inquisitive. Next to the professor is a group of three jovial people, two of which have their hair in braids and tied in the back. They could just as easily fit in on a beach in Jamaica as sitting in this coffee house. I’ll call them the Happy Rasta group. The Happy Rasta group is probably the most open of all here today. I think I could chat with them all day, if only I had the time. They were quick to ask questions and answer them as well. I’m not saying the others have been closed up, not in the least. We’ve all spoken. I believe I’m the new face in the crowd and they are as eager to learn more about me as I am to meet them. We sit back and chat a little bit about different topics from the weather, career to sports. Here in the suburb of one of the largest cities in America, we sit enjoying our diversity and appreciating each other if only silently. We may disagree on politics, religion and the environment but today, we’re all just enjoying the eclectic atmosphere here in this little coffee house. I love coffee houses. However, It’s time for me to leave this little piece of heaven and return to my duties at the house.
Back at my friends house, I sit down in a big comfy leather chair. I’m talking to my friend and the TV is on in the background. The lead article during this show is how one very well known talk show host inappropriately used the “N” word in a philosophical discussion. I didn’t see or hear her talk show yesterday but apparently she angered quite a few people. She’s been “lit-up” with complaints and even made a public apology for her behavior in her next show. I’m sure the next thing I’ll see is a program that is set to divide people rather than give them a reason to come together. I don’t like shows that have no purpose but to inflate anger and hatred toward others. Why can’t we have a show that gives us well thought out discussions and goes even further on by demonstrating just how much we can accomplish by listening to each other and working together rather than yelling at one another. I think about the stress the TV is adding to this living room and thus this home. Then I compare and contrast that to the coffee house? I miss the Coffee House.
In the coffee house, we had diversity living and talking in harmony. While I’m sure we would disagree on many topics, we’re not engaging in them to create a hostile environment. Seeing this makes me only want to turn on the travel channel and learn more about foreign cultures and navigate away from any of the major networks. I’m really starting to hate mainstream media. Yes, I used the word hate. I’m a Buddhist and I dislike that word immensely. I guess if it weren’t for the extremes, we would have a hard time finding the middle. The middle is where I prefer to reside.
When you’re out and about today, stop in and have a cup of coffee or tea at your local coffee house. Engage a stranger in some dialogue and embrace that person in your mind. Be truly thankful for them because you could be home feeling your blood pressure rise as you become angry watching a stupid little box.
Well those are my thoughts this time around. I’ll try to post a little more often. However, I prefer quality over quantity. I hope you approve.
Until next time, be well and love one another. If you can’t do that then at least show no harm to one another.
In Peace,
JD
Atlanta, GA
Aug 2010
