The other day I stopped by a coffee shop to which I had never given my patronage. Julia, one of my best friend's from home frequented the place to load up on caffeine between jobs. Though I'm really trying to save money for my move to New York, I figured "Why not buy local?" How hipster of me!
After I got something called a cortada (which was amazing) and a piece of apple cinnamon cake (equally as amazing), I whipped out my phone to draft an email, check email, respond to messages, etc. A table over, an elderly couple sat down with their beverages and made themselves comfortable. While I remained occupied with whatever was going on inside the little brick I had in my hand, they simply sat in silence. A minute or so passed by with no activity to distract me from my emails, so to distract myself I looked up. And smiled. And stared. (Luckily they never noticed the creepy guy by the window smiling and staring at them).
There was something so comforting in this couple simply enjoying each other's company. No unnecessary conversation. No fidgeting. No need to be entertained. Who knows how long they had been together or what their back story was. They just sat there, he looking around at the walls of the cafe while she focused her gaze on something outside. Not a word was spoken. No phones were pulled out or worse on the table. No books. Mo newspapers. Nothing. They were so comfortable just existing in the other's presence.
That exchange, or lack thereof is just one of the many examples of how love can be shared. Simply in their presence to one another. Their comfort gave me comfort. Two individuals, one couple. No worry. Just love.
Eventually they did make some inaudible conversation, and instinctively I recoiled back to my phone in hopes they wouldn't look over to the smiling observer. The scene played in my head the rest of the day - do I have that in my life? With whom? With whom do I share in that kind of love?
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