Tag: virtual cafe

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#104 Coffee with John, Virtual Edition: The Past Colliding with the Future

Memories of times, circumstances, and people from our past are tricky, especially if three decades have passed in between.

We hold memories frozen in time, a permanent canvas we have affixed through the paintbrushes of our truths. We seize in our timeline circumstances and people, giving them attributes we still think hold. How they spoke, behaved, or looked, we hold in our mind as if time had not transpired.

Whenever I connect with a person from my past, my memories collide with theirs, forming and amplifying my affixed canvas with their own brushes of paint. The painting takes a more expansive view with new context, hues, and realities. What they remember, how they perceived me and their experiences add to the memories, giving me a glimpse into new perspectives.

Not surprisingly, the image of who the people I knew them to be at 15 or at whatever age our past selves had crossed, crumbles as well. Physical attributes might remain, but whatever image or memories of who they were, are but a mirage when looking through the lens of the now,

Questions of genuine change come to mind when I think of all this: how have we ourselves have changed without ourselves considering the passing years? Are we the same deep inside? Are the fears, insecurities, awkwardness of our youth still lurking on the surface, holding us back from becoming the better versions of ourselves? Physical appearances wane but, at the core, can people change?

I know I am not the same person from my youth or even from three or two years ago. Along the way, I have confronted fears, hang-ups and have faced life circumstances that have shaped who I am at this moment. Still, the journey continues. Lots of work to go.

I appreciate my coffee mate for sharing his past and present self with me. I am honored and grateful for his honesty in letting me into a window of his life as he confronts personal and emotional challenges. The upward stream we all face in the journey of life can become part of our core and what can as our cataclysm for change, a change for the better.

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Question –

Will you be part of the magical seven?

In math, science, poetry, religion, mythology, philosophy, and in other realms, seven is a magical number. I am seven away from reaching my 100 Coffee with John.

My goal is to reach the 100 milestones before my upcoming birthday in June. Will you be a part of the magical seven to reach that milestone?

The only rule, we can’t have already met for the project. Sorry. No repeats for the project.

If you want to be part of Coffee with John, let me know. We can do virtual or if you are in Charlotte, NC face-to-face. I would be honored to meet up and count you in this special, magical number.

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#62 Coffee with John

“I am more than I have shown you and more than you are willing to see. Let’s work our love and know each other more fully.” Mark Nepo

My first virtual Coffee with John since the lock-down/quarantine began I shared with a friend of more than 24 years. She is my sister from another mother. My Puerto Rican sista!

This woman has had my back more times than I can count. While in college, she saved my ass countless times from starving with all of her extra meal points. My first official job after graduating I owe to her. If I had a Board Committee, she has been the Vice President, giving me advice, helping me when I have been down, and just being an incredible friend all throughout the twenty-plus years that we have known each other. Her acts of kindness have humbled me and, hopefully, made me a better friend to people.

The takeaway after our three-hour conversation is that there is not enough time in a lifespan to truly know someone. Over the course of our talk, we discovered new things about each other. Nothing deeply revealing or shocking but just new facts and quirks, adding and enriching an already rich friendship.

We don’t let people see aspects of ourselves either because the opportunity never presents itself or we refuse for reasons that we only know. Also, we limit ourselves in seeing or truly getting to know someone because of our own blinders, fears, and stories we carry. The time to change that is now.

We are experiencing an incredibly challenging and taxing time in our history with uncertainty looming at every corner. If you can and are in a position to do so, I encourage you to get to know people in your life in a whole different way. You might never get a chance like this again in a lifetime. Get a book of questions to ask, spend more time with loved ones, and/or get lost in their worlds. Let them see you and let them freely express themselves so you can see them, truly see them.

My sister from another mother
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#14 Coffee with John

November 13th

Today Coffee with John at my favorite local: my house.

The takeaway for today: love and hope can see you through darkness.

Amazing and inspiring to hear how people have overcome obstacles and the many challenges life throws at you at any given moment.

Coffee with John Carolyn

 

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#12 Coffee with John

Had my second virtual Coffee with John early this morning. I don’t know why I was initially resistant to the whole idea of virtual meetups. Well, actually I know why, but both past experiences have been great on their own right.

The takeaway, and it’s worth repeating: don’t be hesitant to try new things.

So those that had asked me to do Facetime/Skype (or whatever version of it) and I had totally ignored, I am sorry.

Truly, I am but you have to understand my goal of setting up these Coffee with John sessions have been (and continue to be) for me to get out of the house for my own personal reasons.

But now, I am more than willing to do the virtual meet-ups. So let’s do it. Send me a message and we will set a time to “meet up.” Just bring your own coffeeVirtual Coffee2

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#11 Coffee with John

November 9th

I want to thank my “anonymous” sponsor for today’s Coffee with John session.

I thank you for your friendship, generosity, thoughtfulness, and love. Touched that you thought of supporting my pet project by sending me an extremely generous gift card.

Truly grateful!

Today’s takeaway from back-to-back meetups: 1) don’t be afraid to try new endeavors; and 2) good conversations can truly nourish our minds and spirit.

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