Found Change

For a Very Long Time, Days have flown by. Weeks have screamed as they jumped off of the calendar. Years have disappeared with a passing Goodbye as they slipped out the front door.

The eMotion Cafe has been a madhouse of visitors from New York, Portland, Ft. Lauderdale, DC, Kansas City, and many other Places that you'd need Google Maps to find. They have all come to the eMotion Cafe and ordered their drinks. I have, happily, served their Addictions. We have shared stories while we waited for the Coffees, Lattes, Americanos, Mochas, Teas, Chais, Cappuccinos,  and Shots to be poured. We have talked of our Troubles, shared in our Sadness, heard each others' Hurt.  We have listened to stories of each others' Love. We have held each others' hands and hugged each other, as we have Healed.  

But, sometimes, Things slow down and the eMotion Cafe empties.  The visitors take pause to attend to the Rest of their Lives.

And, during these Blessed Breaks, I like to Clean House. Now, at first, it's a bit hard to slow down. I stand at the counter. I wait. I'm afraid to Get Started with Something because I'm used to just waiting for Someone to walk through that door and need my Time and Attention. But, every once in a while, there's a Lull at the eMotion Cafe - and in that Silence, there is an Opportunity to Catch up and Clean up.  At these times, I deftly dig out the Cleaning Supplies that get buried under the sinks and Get Started.

Consequently, over the past several Days and Weeks, I have been pulling out every piece of equipment, inspecting it, and cleaning it. I have dusted all the shelves that were once Too High to reach. I have wiped down the legs of the chairs and tables and bases that are Rarely Seen. I have cleaned all the cups and mugs that held so many of the Addictions I've served.

And each time I've touched Something in the eMotion Cafe, I can remember the last time I touched it and what I felt when I last touched it.

As I was finishing cleaning one particular Hard to Reach space, She came back into the eMotion Cafe. I hadn't seen talked to Her in weeks. It was good to See her and hear Her voice and know that She was Well - or as Well as Can Be.

What can I get you?" I asked. I began to start making her Usual: Green Tea.

"Oh, Nothing for me, today..." She began, "... Just a little glass of water, please.  I'm just stopping by. I can't stay long, this time. I've been Sick lately. Sorry I haven't been around much.  I would like a small glass of water, though.  I'm Thirsty"

If there's One Thing we understand in the eMotion Cafe, it's Thirst.

"Got it," I told her, excited to hear Another Voice besides the Voice in my Head - which is all I've had to hear the past few weeks as I've been cleaning up the eMotion Cafe.

"You sure you don't want your Usual," I continued, "No Green Tea for you?"

"No, no, I'm not sure if I can have That anymore.  People say the Caffeine may not be good for my Heart.  It makes my Heart race. It keeps me up at Night, too, sometimes.  I just can't do that anymore."

"I'm sorry to hear that," I replied, "I know it was your Favorite." I told her.

"I know. I loved it, too. We'll see," She said and then smiled a Sad smiled and looked away.

"What's That?" She asked? As she pointed to some loose Change I had piled up on the counter.

"Oh, That? That's just all the Change I've found over the past few weeks. I've found those coins and dollars all over the Place - under tables and couches, behind shelves, I even found a hundred dollar bill underneath the register the Other Day. Not sure how that got there."

"Wow, I didn't think you could find Change like That. Really? You found All That in just these past few weeks?" She asked, again.

"Seriously. True Story." I smiled and wondered why Things Like That are hard to believe, "I think I told you, last time you were here, that I had planned on doing some Cleaning. The Universe finally allowed me to Slow Down. I always keep my word. Sometimes, it just takes me longer than I want it to. But, you know that." and I smiled, knowing we had talked about that so many times before.  In fact, it was Something we both did: Move at our own pace with Things.  Then, I continued, "So, I've finally had some Time to clean up the eMotion Cafe.  That Change was there all along, Hiding and Waiting.  Sometimes, Change just needs to be Found.  You can't always see Change when you're too busy running around trying to serve Everyone Else's Addictions.  You know how it is."

She smiled and looked away, again.  Perhaps She believed.  Perhaps She didn't believe.  Perhaps She didn't care. Perhaps She was Somewhere Else.  Perhaps She just wasn't feeling Well, still. But, any way, She turned, exhausted and tired, from the counter and thanked me for the glass of Water.  And then She left.

I looked down at the growing pile of coins and bills on the Counter.

"That's a lot of Change,' I said to myself - still not quite sure what to do with it All.  

So, I simply picked up my Sponge, multi-purpose Lysol disinfectant spray, and a few paper towels and got started on cleaning a few other Hard to Reach places while there was still Time before the eMotion Cafe filled, again.  And I sang a Song to keep me company. And I cleaned. And I kept an eye out for more Found Change.