A Coffee Date // October 10
My dearest friend Amber is the queen of coffee date blog posts, and once a month, she's joining forces with the lovely Erin to make virtual coffee dates among Internet friends a sweet reality. The weather is in the 40s here this morning, so I'm wrapping my chilly fingers around this hot mug and sharing some thoughts with you. Glad you're here.
If we were on a coffee date... I would confess that sometimes the weight of the world nearly breaks me. I would share that last week, all I could write in my journal was "it feels like tonight is time to just cry." An internet friend of mine said goodbye to her precious baby girl in the most devastating and unexpected of ways, and I've been incredibly moved by her grace and strength as they donate sweet Avery's organs to save the lives of other babies. I've been so heartbroken by the loss and have been grieving with the family and our online community from afar, and it's just heavy. I've been grieving the losses of so many lives at the hand of this hurricane. I've been grieving for the state of our nation. I've been grieving the black lives we've lost unjustly. The brokenness of the world has never been more clear to me, but the great hope we have in Christ has never been more beautiful to me either.
If we were on a coffee date... I would ask what it looks like for you to bravely hold hope. It's a phrase I keep repeating to myself, one I've written on a post-it on my work computer and put on my Letterfolk board at home, because I need the daily reminder.
If we were on a coffee date... I would talk about This is Us. It feels like the new Parenthood (which I'm rewatching on Netflix yet again, and loving even more than I already did before) and I'm very into it. Do you watch it too?!
If we were on a coffee date... I would ask what you're letting go of this fall. The leaves show us how it's done, and remind us the surrender is a beautiful thing. For me, it's 7+ inches of hair, and dating, and the pressure of performance and perfection.
If we were on a coffee date... I'd tell you to go listen to the advance release of JOHNNYSWIM's new album on NPR. It's stunning. I didn't think they could get better, but, THEY DID.
If we were on a coffee date... I wouldn't bring up politics once. Because we all have heard too much about that and my soul just needs a big fat break.
If we were on a coffee date... I'd give you a gift of some kind. It might be books, or a doodled pumpkin, or a handwritten note, or a sampler of teas... but what I'm realizing is that acts of kindness and sharing little happy gifts is a much-needed antidote (both for me and for you) for all the stress and chaos of the world around us. On the hard days, I'm choosing to put good out there in whatever way I can. I'd want to give you something to have and to hold to make you smile and keep you going too. We're all in this together. Let's be better cheerleaders and encouragers of one another.
You can find past coffee date posts here!
One year ago on the blog: Curiosity.
Two years ago on the blog: Following the Leader: a Friday Freewrite