The Happy Place

It is no secret that my son, Garrett, and I love Starbucks. If you aren't aware of that, then it's only partially for the coffee (MommaRita, me) and for the tea (Garrett), it's for the people and all the regulars, friends and church family that come through to visit with Garrett on the two afternoons a week we spend at our local Starbucks. If I am lucky, a friend will stop by and spend a bit of time with me, otherwise, I get a lot of Bible study, planner work, etc done during our time at the coffee shop.  To be far, I have to share that one afternoon a week, he also lunches at the local Target with his best friend and I with his best friend's mom. These little blessings are treasures for both of us.

A week ago, the local free standing Starbucks closed for remodel, it happened to be the afternoon of Garrett's birthday too. For the past five or six years, Garrett has sat in the small nook of a corner in Starbucks at a small bistro table with two chairs. He called it his "happy place." Garrett would get a Raspberry tea which was actually a Passion tea with raspberry syrup changed a bit, sit in his happy place, play the only thing on his tablet, a bowling game and wait as the visitors rotated in and out of the accompanying chair. They talked football, weather, the sermon from Sunday or other sports. I sat "within eye shot" as Garrett would say, me moving a bit further from his security to give him more and more independence. Sitting close to the door, he greeted every guest, "Hi, how are you?" to which the person might be taken back or know it was a Monday or Wednesday and thus the reason for not going through the drive-thru, they had to get their "Garrett greeting." Then there was the "Y'all have a good day now," as they left with their favorite treats. He watched the clock to see when it was time to leave for bowling, golf or to go for our mileage run. They loved my son from the staff to the regulars. It made my momma heart soar.

So, on the Sunday morning they closed for the remodel, I went by to show my support to the staff, letting them know I would be praying for them during the three-weeks they were off, too if they needed anything they could call, and to get my last coffee as well. The manager told me that they were giving me Garrett's "happy place!" I began to cry. Putting the pieces in the car, I took the set home and placed it in the living room in front of the big window. The perfect happy place to wait the anticipation of visitors coming, have a cup of coffee or a glass of tea, read a book or the Bible, enjoy the sun or light of day, and spend time being thankful. The living room is now called "The Happy Place."

How blessed that a place has grown to be such a part of our lives that it has come home and now is a part of us. That is what the feeling is to be when people are around us, to be loved and felt that we are hugged, loved and cared for. A moment in time can be that by creating a place, a nook somewhere in your home or a bag of small things and going to the park. Take a notebook, a pen and the Bible or book. Go to the park or a pretty place and make a list each time you go of three things you are thankful for if not more and just soak up the light, the sun and the moment. God has blessed us with happy moments to be thankful and grateful. I am thankful for our happy place, here and there.

Thank you Starbucks for bringing it home.
Rita