Reflection

Episode 3: Reflections

"The beginning of a journey!"

I usually spent most of my weekend in a coffee shop near my apartment. I enjoyed watching people relaxing, studying, and chatting with each other. That Saturday as usual, I was sitting in my favorite spot at the coffee shop, listening to ambient music, and reading a scientific magazine. There were still empty spots in different corners of the coffee shop and people were gradually entering from the front door. The coffee aroma had filled the environment combined with the subtle noise of people chatting. The barista was making orders for the customers as fast as he could, while a kid sat on the ground drawing next to her mother, and two tables over a Chinese man wearing black framed glasses was talking with a young lady about mathematics and tutoring her in calculus.

I was feeling comfortable. It was 5:33 pm. I was busy reading my magazine all the time as I forgot to eat. I was feeling my empty stomach and my mouth was dry. I decided to leave for home and make something to eat. All of a sudden, I heard the little kid whispering to her mother "Mom! I am hungry". I stopped; started to listen more carefully. The chinese man with black framed glasses told his pupil: "You should pay attention to all the details".

Something was stopping me from moving on and ignoring what had happened. I was feeling very focused on the environment, monitoring all that was happening there and in my own mind. I felt I was at the beginning of a journey, or a mission. It was all new to me and I was slightly frightened and numb at the same time.

"Are you ready?" - a barista asked his friend pointing to the espresso machine. My feelings, my thoughts and the surroundings were woven to each other that I could not clearly identify the cause and effect of the events and actions surrounding me. It seemed very exciting to see my thoughts and intentions reflected in the environment. I could not understand how the magic of the system was working, but it was working well!