I learned the handshake today. Friendship grows deeper each day with the team of men who own and operate my favorite cafe in Amed. I sit with them for hours and they teach me about Balinese culture and spirituality. They know my drink. I practice speaking Indonesian with them and we laugh a lot in their gorgeous intentional space. The cafe windows are filled with jungle mountains and rice paddies. This is the most modern vibe in town, fresh art on the wall, Japanese influence, passion for serve and connection between humans, hand selected coffee beans from the farms around the island. Award winning latte art! The biggest smiles and fun music. There’s a guitar in the corner that the guys play while they sip their third or forth cup of really good fancy coffee. I see a lot of local faces here everyday and tourists breeze through too. Lots of scooters parked outside and the sun burns the leather seats while they wait for us.
The owner of the cafe asked me today to make sure I send them a copy of my book when it’s published so they can add it to their bookshelf. With twelve books on the shelf right now, my book will make it thirteen. Quite a spotlight! He said they’d be proud to have the book, knowing it was written amongst them.
I wonder if I seem exotic to them; a foreign girl living in their rice paddies writing a mysterious book in their shop, ordering green tea and matcha, poke bowels and sushi tacos. These men have kept me fed, smiling, talking and feeling the warmth of community while I’ve been deep inside my creative bubble. They’ve nurtured me more than I think they’ll ever really know. My life is very simple right now, spacious. I’m intentionally carving space open around me so words can flow in easily. Solitude has been tasty and still, I pop into the cafe most mornings to feel the warmth of friendly humans. A cafe can feel like home when you visit everyday.
They taught me their handshake today, the one the baristas all give each other each morning. It felt like an honor to learn it. They laughed when I said, “have a fun day!” They’d never heard that expression. “Funday?” A new word for them. I like it. Have a funday! I’ll define funday as a good life, chosen, created intentionally.
love & rainbows,
Cha Wilde
