Conversations Over Coffee: What a Stranger Taught Me About Life
It was just another rainy Sunday afternoon when I ducked into my favorite corner café. The air was thick with the aroma of roasted beans and quiet thoughts. I wasn't expecting anything beyond a warm cappuccino and a few pages of a book. But life, as it often does, had other plans.
I found myself seated across from a man I didn’t know. Mid-50s, kind eyes, and a weather-worn notebook filled with scribbles. He smiled, nodded, and we exchanged small talk that soon spiraled into stories—his about cycling across India in his youth, and mine about learning to appreciate solitude.
He told me something that has stayed with me: "The world will rush you, but your peace is not on their clock." We talked about burnout, chasing deadlines, and the sheer joy of doing absolutely nothing sometimes. It wasn’t a debate or a deep philosophical chat—it was real. Two people pausing life to simply connect.
When he left, he wrote something on a napkin and handed it to me. “Write more, feel more, rush less.” Just like that, the stranger was gone, and I was left holding a little more calm than I came in with.
Some days change your mood. Others? They change your mind.
☕ Reflect With Me
Have you ever had a meaningful encounter with a stranger? What did it teach you? Leave your thoughts in the comments—I’d love to hear them.
