Morning Coffee

My daily ritual in Jerusalem was to sit on the patio of the Three Arches. Quiet conversations, rustling newspapers and soft oldies music were the only real noise. The air crisp. The heat not yet in play. The smell of the chef's morning creations (made to order) wafting through the air. A wild cat (as in feline, not a dude) hung around, looking for scrapes, stalking birds, bugs and the fish in the small tank.

Breakfast was varied but always fresh. Salads, cheese, fruits, breads, juices and coffee. Ahhh, thanks be for the coffee. Strong.

Each day, I delighted in the ritual of breakfast and observation. I so rarely take time for morning pause and breakfast at home. Mental note to self: why not?

The remarkable thing about these morning moments was always their simplicity; their rhythm; their calming and centering effect.

One day I delighted in seeing the faces of families as they approached the first day of school at the JIY's Peace Preschool. Down the arched outside corridor...across the patio, in came parents with a child in hand. Although each quite diverse, they all stopped to smell the flowers; nod to the cafe crowd; the kids peering into the fish pool or scurrying after the cat.

And then the kids saw "him." Hands dropped from mom or dad... and excited waves and hugs were exchanged with a security guard posted at the door.

He had caught my attention and admiration earlier as I watched him greet by name every adult as they entered. But now his face lit up, his eyes almost twinkled and his smile broadened as he acknowledged and celebrated the youngest members marching on to a new school year.

I pondered whether the JIY CEO would forgive me if I were to offer "the guard" the opportunity to come to Lexington and be in my Y lobbies. He was the embodiment of the Y's caring connection to those who grace our facilities. Heck, he did not even work for me and I was proud of his actions and attitude.

I figured I better not betray my friend and recruit the guard. Instead I was grateful for the universal nature of the Y in action. The mission alive in a security guy obviously in love with his job, his calling. How cool was that?

I was inspired... so back to my laptop I went to tackle my day's tasks. Just another work day in Jerusalem.