Dear Binda,

I was passing a coffee shop I hadn’t gone to in a long time.

And let me just preface this by saying that I was in a good mood (I know, right?) . I was swelling with appreciation that morning. I even appreciated those white pebbles filling their planters outside. Then I looked up from the planters, through their storefront window and realized the coffe shopt had not one, not two but THREE chandeliers hanging from its ceilings. What kind of coffee shop was this?

I went in. And there wasn’t anyone there. I mean no one. No one behind the counter. I stood there blinking and just sort of enjoying the whole experience. Me alone with the chandeliers. After a full minute, I left. I felt even more appreciation. For the solitude, the beauty. It made happy to go to work. And it’s not even Friday yet.