Coffee, nature, and good company. What more do you need?
The alarm goes off at 4:45 am. My dream where I’m piloting a Gundam has suddenly ended. It’s too early to be awake, you’d assume. Yet, we’re excited. It’s a great time to get up because it’s time for our coffee walk. So whilst we aren’t springing out of bed, we do find the energy to get up. Even in the pitch black and cool mornings now we move into Autumn.
The morning coffee walk has quickly become one of my favourite activities.Amazing how something so simple can be so impactful.
What started as a walk to get a coffee with my mum quickly became a weekly session. Soon I added a weighted backpack to get some training in. We’d walk and talk. Then I stopped with the backpack and just walked and talked with my long black in hand. After a few months, I swapped to a flat white. Then my wife came to the conclusion that this was way better than yoga and joined us. We expanded to twice a week. Bonus life lesson: living close to family is great.
We got to know the café owners and workers. We chat to the other locals who are there getting their coffees. We talk. Laugh. Take in the sights and sounds as we walk through the lush park and wilderness. Watch the development of houses and renovations taking place when we are walking through the streets. A lot can change in the various streets, as we have seen over our coffee walks. Homes purchased and demolished. New foundations established. New homes built.
Even the parks and wilderness areas have their own seasonality. The creek will dry out and fill up. Fairy doors appear on some trees. The sound of frogs is present after the rain. The grass grows and is then cut. What a gift it is to be a part of this changing ecosystem.
The café is a hum of activity. Customers are chatting away. We’ve met some really friendly people at the café. There’s always a story to share or news to hear. We look forward to seeing them each visit for a brief chat and life update. It’s a fantastic community that has been built here.
Lots of different thoughts and observations come up during these walks, and I’ve started recording a few of these thoughts each week. It’s nice to look back at them and have them as a record of what I’ve been thinking about.Seasonality and values have been common themes. Of enjoying these moments and not taking them for granted. Of revitalising my interest in writing and sharing stories. Realising just how powerful connection, laughter, and nature can be.
Going on a coffee walk is part of living out my philosophy as a way of life.Living out my values and priorities such as connection, family, fitness, and time outdoors. Of prioritising this time and being present. Being a part of a community. Slowing down. Phone away.
It’s turning the ordinary into great moments. Actually, I’d say it’s about appreciating just how great these ordinary moments are. In fact, let’s just view them as moments. When our actions are aligned we are heading in the right direction. How can we be anything but fulfilled?
That’s what it means to live our philosophy. To align your values, actions, and behaviours. To head in the direction that you want to go. And these small simple things, such as going on a coffee walk, can have much larger meaning and value behind them. The challenge then becomes to stick with it. To truly embed it and live it.
Collecting our coffee, we turn around and head back down the road, turning into the street that has lots of development. The sun is now fully up. We talk briefly to the builders on one of their houses, admiring the design they have gone with. We head down to the end and turn right. After a few minutes, we cross the intersection and come across another regular walker, out with her dog. We stop and chat. We laugh. They wonder if they’ll see us next week (my wife is 38 weeks pregnant).
What a great morning it has been, and in many respects, the day is just getting started!