A Cup Of Coffee And A Smile

I said goodbye to Hector today. He was one of my favorite Starbucks baristas. A calm, sweet presence, he worked at my local branch for 13 years! A true staple. But he was ready for change and I get it – I’m happy for him to move on.

I started going to Starbucks after my mother died. That was ten years ago and as fate would have it, that was the first Fall in which all four of my kids were in school.

Being a stay at home Mom, my mornings were suddenly open and the void of my mother’s presence nagged at me each day. In order to quell the emptiness, I lugged myself into my car and headed out for a cup of coffee. (Who knew, lol, that I’d become one of Starbuck’s best customers!!)

If we're not careful, our modern day lives can be isolating. Most of the time we're too busy to notice, until we're jarred into some sort of difficulty that magnifies this fact.

I hadn’t expected what happened, but my Starbucks mornings grew to be meaningful. Just seeing Hector’s familiar smile, along with many of the other baristas, became a moment for me to connect each day. They didn’t know it, but their daily greetings, the fact that they knew my name as well as how I liked my drinks, and the easy small talk were all healing me.

Howard Schultz, the former CEO of Starbucks, was banking on this concept. He dreamt of creating a European style café; one where people linger over coffee and intimate conversation. Sadly, our fast-paced, post-pandemic America seems to have turned us into app ordering, Uber rushing, grab and go people. Time for small talk seems over.

Let’s bring it back. I challenge you this week – every week! – to reach out to someone in your local town. A teacher, a sales clerk, a random person at the grocery store! Stop all this rushing around! These relationships are what create our community. You never know when a smile, a compliment, or simply acknowledgement can change someone’s day.

We tend to talk about making huge changes – save the Earth! Save the homeless! But in truth, it's these small exchanges that mean the most! These small moments are where we define ourselves and the world that we wish to create.

We are beings of connection and community. We can bring love into this world one cup of coffee and one smile at a time.

Thank you, Hector - Wishing you much success, joy and prosperity on your life’s journey, wherever it may take you. I will miss you!