In between Cups of Coffee and Tea

I've been spending days in a particular coffee shop to finish work that I need to do. Luckily, I am surrounded by people who are working on their own goals, making this whole ordeal easier than it actually is. The baristas already know us by our names and we know them by theirs. It has turned into a sort of home.

In between my work and the failed attempts to keep myself off the internet, I find myself looking around me. I've memorized some of the posters and the artworks that envelope us. More than that, I've built relationships with these new friends who will soon become doctors and lawyers. We do share stories in between studying and working but more often than not, it's a quiet kind of camaraderie as every single one of us wants to hit a particular goal. Even if I sometimes feel all alone here, their mere presence calms me.

Yesterday, I spent time alone in a whole new area where I saw new sets of people. Some had their business meetings while others were spending time with family. But I remember two girls sitting right next to me, sharing stories in hushed voices while sipping their tea. I liked it.

It's good to just sit and talk with someone. I miss that the most. I know I'll go back to that kind of life soon. As of now, this is what I have -- quiet people buried in thick books or typing away on their laptops as screens glow on their serious faces. I'm one of them now.

It's just me, my laptop, my orange highlighter, and copies of my interviews with 45 women. They're all I have right now. And I'm making the most out of what I have.

"When you realize there's nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you." - Lao Tzu