small world indeed

So we (my wife and I) used to have a coffee shop. I was blessed to hang out with a lot of great people. Some in particular became great friends. Some of those folks became more.

There were younger folks whom I listened to and advised when asked. And there were older folks whom I listened to and took advise from. And there were all the great musicians who taught me to play and inspired not only me but my patrons as well. These are very special memories that I will cherish forever. I miss those special moments. Many times, those with whom I developed tight relationships with moved on, as happens in life. I miss them more than the moments.

But the coolest thing happened to me this morning. I had two voice mails. I know, doesn't sound like much, but they were from two of those special friends. Folks that I really talked about life with, you know; those really deep, up till 3 in the morning discussions that could have gone on longer, but we had to work the next day kind of conversations. Good stuff. Anyway, these two had moved on long before we closed the coffee shop. They did not know each other and were off living their lives and doing their thing when they ran into each other. They started talking about Woodstock and coffee shops and they realized that they had both been friends of mine and they had both been a part of the music scene at our shop, just at different times.

They both called right then and there, but of course, I had the ringer turned off; thus the two voice mails. Anyway, these two lives that touched me and were touched by The Serene Bean, have run into each other in south Florida. I don't know if they will bond in friendship or even if they will ever see each other again. But to me anyway, It is neat to follow the web of life and have this glimpse of how it ties us all together across time and distance. Both of these folks are special to me, and that they ran into each other, well let's just say I don't believe in coincidence.

I'm not sure where I am trying to go with this, but to me anyway, it was deep or cool or meaningful or whatever word you want to use. Soemthing that was a huge part of my life, but is no more (The Serene Bean), lives on in that chance encounter. And that lifts a part of my spirit that had sunk so low that I forgot it was there, much less that it needed lifting.