I like to venture down to the coffee houses in Aggieville to do my work. I have found I get more work done there than I do in my office. There's something to be said about being able to interact with people as you plug away at your work (having coffee drinks nearby doesn't hurt either).
Over the past three years, I have met a number of interesting people at Java and Radina's (the two coffee houses). Some are friends of friends while others are complete strangers that I strike up a random conversation with. Yesterday, I had a memorable random conversation.
I had just set up my work station (i.e.
PowerBook) when a lady at a nearby table asked me if I was taking summer courses. She's a '39, same as my mom, and I took this as an invite to talk for a while.
I explained that I was done with my classes and now focusing on completing my paper. She's originally from Germany and a professor so we talked of life, travel, education, and relationships. The later subject is what made this conversation so memorable. When I shared that I was not married, but would like to be at some point in the near future, she initially scolded me insisting that I was much too young to be thinking of such a lifetime commitment. I then told her my age. She agreed that I should get married in the near future.
What made me laugh was her laughing at me. When she began to ask me questions about myself and a potential relationship, she quickly realized that I was looking at a very small field: educated, traveled, older, and someone who takes their faith seriously. By the end, she was near tears from laughing so hard. And even though she was laughing at me (or rather, at my situation), it was a blessing to have someone who understood me.
Laughter truly is the best medicine.
