In those days we didn’t hide behind our laptop screens, but rather kept our faces buried in a book. The coffee café hideaway was as much a place to be as it is today.
Yet, the feeling was different as we looked up from our focus to greet people as they entered. And often someone would just speak out for the group to listen. And if the subject was compelling enough, or the issue important enough, we would pull up our chairs and engage in a community dialogue of sorts. Think unplanned town hall meeting.
This happened in Milwaukee, Madison, Ann Arbor, Boulder, or Nederland, and of course in many other locals as well. It was what would occur when people cared about the picture, beyond their own.
Imagine. Remember when moments occurred in your life that made you euphoric at the thought of being part of something. It could have been as simple as a Little League team winning a big game, or sitting around a campfire when everyone was listening to each other with respect and encouragement.
The key is active participation. Not just being a spectator from the privacy of your television or newspaper. The inner excitement of her secretly touching your hand under the table does not occur if you’re not “at the table.”
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