Coffee Shop Writing

Today, a fellow writer came to join me for my appointed hour of coffee shop writing. We exchanged some greeting words and a 5 minute Reader’s Digest condensed version of our lives since our last meeting. Then we opened our journals and got down to business. We had come to write, and write is what we did. I read a sentence out of a book and we were off and running.

In the background coffee brewed, music played and customers came and went with their various deserts and coffee cups. None of it distracted us. With head bowed and pen in hand, we pressed on. We had no rules, no agendas and no real expectations except to keep the pen moving. Writing was our focus, results was our aim.

About 30 minutes into our writing, a lady sitting at the table next to us (tables are very close together there) leaned over and said: “I don’t mean to be rude by interrupting or asking, but I’m really curious as to what you guys are writing.” My friend responded first. We’re journal writing. Writing about our life, feelings, experiences, our day, whatever and wherever it takes us.” “What we’re doing is trusting the pen to guide us,” I piped in.

“Oh,” she said, “Sometimes I write in a journal too. I have lots of journals but some I find too pretty to write in and often I don’t know what to write.” That was my cue. I rummaged through my bag and pulled out a Write Haven business card. “I have just the cure for you.” Check out this website and take a course or two and give some thought about joining us at our next drop-in journaling night.”

“Oh, thank-you” she said, “I’m going to do just that,” and off she went tucking my business card in her pocket. My friend and I looked at each other, smiled, put our heads down and kept on writing.