I got the sign!
I walked in and immediately felt comfortable. I found THE perfect nook tucked away in a corner. I ordered a hot buttered rum and the cute barista/server brought it to me. I can’t stop grinning. I mentioned that I was a first timer and only moved recently. He thought to tell the owner and she came over to introduce herself. She and the conversation were immediately lovely, awkward, detail heavy, and the most validating thing I’ve heard from someone who wasn’t my therapist in a LONG time. She said when their people find them, they just know it. She calls us “insta-regulars”.
*swoon*
I may be tucked in my nook, but I feel incredibly seen. The sign on the chalkboard persists:
You are allowed to EXIST
I’m holding space for the joy that is finding my third place. I’m going to sit with it in my body and not just move on to the next thing.
-A