Another Day at Work: Knowing, Loving, and the Immeasurable Weight of Being

I punch the clock; I put on the apron; my shift begins.

I see the people come in and go out all day long. [Grande/long-pour/with-room/Americano] I think to myself, who are these people? Where do they all come from? Have I seen this person three times already this morning? [Triple/Venti/three-pump/whole-milk/no-foam/no-whip/mocha] I see friends meeting; I see students working on their computers; I see businesswomen and construction workers grab their coffee and run. I think to myself, who are all these people. Well… they are like me: they are people. [Iced Grande/seven-pump/non-fat/extra-extra drizzle/caramel macchiato]

I tell a joke to a co-worker and she laughs a great laugh; I smile because that means I’m funny. Not one to stop when I sense an opportunity, I push the humorous metaphor and the joke rolls on – she laughs more. Yes, I’m funny. [Tall/non-fat/latte] Do I hide behind my humour? Do I use it to feel better about myself and feel accepted by those around me? Is it a mask that I wear or might it actually be an expression of my self? [grande/coffee-misto] Hmm…

[grande/skinny-vanilla/latte] Is she coming from the gym or does she use her lululemon active wear as a front, a façade. Why do women work so hard at it? Would I think any less of her if she came in wearing grey sweats? Would she think any less of herself? Maybe she just feels comfortable in that kind of clothing. I’ll probably never know.

How is it that any of us are actually able to know another human? Do we all put on fronts? Maybe facebook is just the virtual version of what we all do every day: we put our best picture up for others to see. Look at me, I’m fun, I’m active, I have a great smile. [Venti/no-water/extra-hot/Tazo chai-tea latte] Her friend arrives, they greet one another, and she posts a comment on her friend’s wall, telling her how good she looks lately. I think to myself, how well do they know each other; how well do they know themselves? [tall/caramel/170-degree/steamed-soy]

It’s time for my break and I sit down with my double-tall/dry/cappuccino and my book, “Early Christianity and Greek Paideia”. Do I hide behind a mask of intellectual discovery and sophistication? Well, yes and no… sometimes maybe. I do enjoy reading about such things, discussing such things, and learning and growing in general. In all honesty though, I sometimes do add a little bit of flourish to my explanation when someone asks me what I’m reading; perhaps I choose eloquent words for maximum effect. Though, to be equally honest, that is also how I talk, how I express myself. Hmmm… breaks over.

[two tall/extra-hot/caramel macchiatos] Maybe the same is true for most people – to varying degrees. Maybe what we show people is part who we are and part who we present. Who are all these people then? Can I ever know any of them when they are constantly hiding themselves? But what if the problem is not solely due to them? What if I share in the deception, encourage the illusion. [grande/no-foam/skinny-vanilla/latte] Another lululemon lady… what if part of the problem is that I see this woman and simply do not have the eyes to see her for who she is. Do I have the eyes to see anyone for who they truly are? Yes, I think so. [venti/espresso-macchiato]

I do have the eyes to see some people in my life. I look at my mother, my brothers and sister, and I see in them intelligence, uniqueness, beauty. I think of my dear wife and I am amazed at who she is, her patience, care, and love for me: she has a beautiful soul. My amazing little niece, so filled with life that it overflows onto/into all those around her: she is a beautiful little girl. I have friends that I have known for a long-time. I cherish and hold dear their friendships: they are beautiful. Even my in-laws who I have known for so short a time, I see glimpses of beauty in them through their interactions with each other. [venti/light-whip/mocha-drizzle/white-chocolate/mocha] Now that I think about it, I do have the eyes to see the beauty of other people – predominately those whom I love. Is that the key… love? Is to love to know? Or do I love them because I have come to know them, the real them. Which comes first, the eyes to see a person as they truly are (i.e. to know them as the beautiful creatures that they are) or the love? [venti/strawberries and crème/ frappucinno] Perhaps the two are simply inseparable: growing together in an ascending spiral of loving knowledge, woven together in a beautiful tapestry of shared being. Hmm…

[tall/latte] His friend arrives and they joyfully shake hands, greeting one another with words of affection and giant smiles [decaf/grande/with-room/americano] Maybe they have eyes to see the beauty in each other. I apparently don’t have such eyes: all I see is two middle-aged, overweight, men in outdated clothes. What if I am not looking at two men as I’ve just described them? What if I am actually looking at two beautiful human beings: human beings with the potential to be great saints of heaven, human beings with the potential to do heroic deeds great and small, human beings with the ability to love and be loved. What if I simply do not have the eyes to see them as they truly are, deep down inside? [triple/grande/skinny-caramel/latte] What if she is the same, somewhere behind that façade of make-up and fashion? What about him over in the corner by himself, reading the paper? Or that lady coming in the door? It occurs to me that everyone I cross today is a unique, beautiful creature, whether I know it or not, whether they know it or not. I don't seem to know it most of the time. But then it happens: a fleeting whisper of grace... I look around the room and for the most brief of moments I see a procession of radiant human beings, created in glory and for glory, beloved of God, icons of the Divine, destined for eternal love and joy. I see humanity from the Divine perspective, from the perspective of love. As quickly as it came, the vision begins to fade: under the immeasurable weight of un-masked being my immature soul collapses and [quad/grande/two-pump-cinnamon-dolce/soy/no-foam/Americano-misto] again, all I see is customers coming and going, grabbing their drinks and doing whatever it is that they do. Hmm... Oh, my shift is over already – my, how time flys.

I punch the clock; I take off the apron; my shift ends…