I found this unpublished blog entry, and it is awaiting its debut. It's from a long time ago, but I hope it inspires my readers to be moved to action....
I am sitting in the cutest little coffee shop you have ever seen called "The White Hart" in downtown historic Lynchburg. Mid-terms are over and I am officially taking my first break from all things law since classes started. I am on my fall break. Most of my classmates went home, thus making it hard to be here alone, but surprisingly this little coffee shop actually reminds me very much of Austin...hence I am feeling very urban today in my converse, scarf, and cardigan. As I breath in the coffee air surrounded by true "urbanites" (I am just a wannabe), I'm reminded of home. The only thing missing from my "urban" day is Anthropologie, but I am grateful for the comfort that this little coffee shop has brought me...I think I will come here more often...
Mid-terms are over and fall break is here! Mid-terms went well. I had four mid-terms in a span of four hours. It was the most intense experience I have ever encountered You would have enjoyed being a fly on the wall....things were TENSE amongst the 1L's. We took them on the computer so the fingers were flying and the keyboards got a beating...1 hour, 6 weeks of material, and 1 doozy of a test (professors write them so that you need two hours to complete it but have one hour)...I am here to say that I survived! I haven't gotten my grades back yet, but survival is a miracle in and of itself. I am beginning to think I can do this law school thing...
So, my little 12 oz. Mocha has caused me to reflect on many things today. I think I will come back here for more...that means "The White Hart" will be getting much more business from me. The Mochas in the future have a lot of expectation to live up to...I might even mix things up a bit and breed inspiration from other little coffee shops...I hear there are may to choose from...I think that I will give "The Drowsy Poet" a chance next time....I am sitting in the cutest little coffee shop you have ever seen called "The White Hart" in downtown historic Lynchburg. Mid-terms are over and I am officially taking my first break from all things law since classes started. I am on my fall break. Most of my classmates went home, thus making it hard to be here alone, but surprisingly this little coffee shop actually reminds me very much of Austin...hence I am feeling very urban today in my converse, scarf, and cardigan. As I breath in the coffee air surrounded by true "urbanites" (I am just a wannabe), I'm reminded of home. The only thing missing from my "urban" day is Anthropologie, but I am grateful for the comfort that this little coffee shop has brought me...I think I will come here more often...Mid-terms are over and fall break is here! Mid-terms went well. I had four mid-terms in a span of four hours. It was the most intense experience I have ever encountered You would have enjoyed being a fly on the wall....things were TENSE amongst the 1L's. We took them on the computer so the fingers were flying and the keyboards got a beating...1 hour, 6 weeks of material, and 1 doozy of a test (professors write them so that you need two hours to complete it but have one hour)...I am here to say that I survived! I haven't gotten my grades back yet, but survival is a miracle in and of itself. I am beginning to think I can do this law school thing...
As I sit here, I am looking at an article posted on the wall. "Coffeee-The Drink of Intellectuals." I was intrigued...Because law school has taught me how to research and I love learning (and because I want to think about anything BUT the law today) I began a little research project of my own about the history of coffee and coffee shops. Thus my blog inspiration...
Coffee was once introduced as the "satanic threat to the soul." Maybe this was because when coffee was first introduced and coffee houses first erupted in the Middle East, attendance was affected at the Mosques. When coffee reached Rome, priests claimed that Christians that "drank the hellish brew risked eternal damnation." Who knew coffee was such a controversial drink? While my addiction to coffee has not affected my church attendance (yet) maybe this could be called a "satanic threat to the soul" because I am addictd. As a law student, I confess coffee has become a lifeline. I wake up each morning to the smell of ceoffee brewing. I haven't always liked coffee but once you start, you can't stop...it is an addiction of no returns! But when you think about it...coffee is comforting. It gets you prepared for the daily grind. A morning without my coffee can be viscious. I never thought that I would say this, but it is true....
Despite all the controversy of this drink, during the 17th and 18th centuries, coffee houses flourished in Europe. While the actual drink was viewed as "hellish," coffee houses seem to be quite the opposite. They became places of conversation. Intellects, politicians, poets, and literary men would sit for hours over a cup of coffee and converse about anything and everything-mostly intellectual. I can picture it now: men in glasses with their books discussing philosophy, theology, politics, and other world issues. What a sight to behold! Maybe this is why coffee shops are such a comforting place to me. I love the intellectual world. Who knew that coffee shops historically were a place of intellect-I surely did not.
I have found myself in the same place as these historic intellectuals today talking with a few of my friends about law, why the criminal justice system in America could use some improvement, politics, and what we can do to make this world a better place (aka: graduate from law school and conquer the world together-one victim of injustice at a time). I am inspired. There is no other place that I would rather be. I know that I have continually said this, but the people here inspire me and challenge me to rise above myself. They challenge me to think about issues from a Biblical perspective. I have never been more encouraged, challenged, and inspired than in these past few months. I am excited about the study of law and the opportunity that awaits me upon graduation...and to think that I learned this all from an article on the wall at a ecclectic hole-in-the wall coffee shop...inspiration....
I have found myself in the same place as these historic intellectuals today talking with a few of my friends about law, why the criminal justice system in America could use some improvement, politics, and what we can do to make this world a better place (aka: graduate from law school and conquer the world together-one victim of injustice at a time). I am inspired. There is no other place that I would rather be. I know that I have continually said this, but the people here inspire me and challenge me to rise above myself. They challenge me to think about issues from a Biblical perspective. I have never been more encouraged, challenged, and inspired than in these past few months. I am excited about the study of law and the opportunity that awaits me upon graduation...and to think that I learned this all from an article on the wall at a ecclectic hole-in-the wall coffee shop...inspiration....
But my thoughts do not end there....inspiration breeds action. Inside this little coffee shop is also a bookstore called "The Inklings Bookstore." Who are the "inklings" you might ask? Well, the inklings were some of C.S. Lewis' friends and students. They all studied at Oxford College and would converse about their literary writings. So, not only am I drinking the drink of intellectuals, but I am in a bookstore named after intellectuals. We'll call that a double dose of inspiration....As I sat in church this morning, the pastor talked about not only knowing the Word but telling others about it and acting on what it says. Thus, begins my deeper thoughts. As much as I love the coffee shop feel of sitting around talking about how to make the world a better place, it is all mute if I never act on what I learn from those conversations and take my inspiration into all the world. C.S. Lewis certainly did not keep his little thoughts within his "inkling" group. He has impacted the world through his writing. I do not merely want to be a girl that sits around and talks about how horrible it is that little girls are sold into slavery every day...I want to do something to change that. It has effected me, now I must be moved to act....
Coffee really is a drink for everyone. In my research about coffee, I found that during the 16th century coffee was seen as a necessity to life....so much so that a husband's wedding vows included a promise to keep his wife "well supplied with coffee." Failure to do so was grounds of divorce. I don't know about you, but that sounds delightful. A man bringing me coffee every morning...yes please! I also read that coffee is the universal drink-a good housewife always has some ready and her house filled with the aroma of coffee! HA! So, I leave you with this charge-go find you a cute little coffee shop and get some coffee-be inspired!
Until next time...be blessed!
Research came from the following articles:
