#coffeeandcreativity

The sounds greet me first - the hum of the espresso machine, laughter, and conversation. Next, I smell the fresh blueberry scones which line the counter. A bright chalkboard lists coffee, tea, and ‘not-coffee’ drinks. I check if my seat is still open on this Tuesday, kid-free morning, where my only task is to drink coffee and write. On the bench I drop my journals and colored pens while waiting for my order of hot mocha. From where I sit and write I look through a glass window into the roasting room. The room is filled with brown bags and white plastic tubs of beans ready for roasting. Next to my table I read a rustic wooden sign: Stay Awhile.

I come here, not only because it provides the space for writing, but more importantly because I know its story. Ozark Coffee Company started five years ago. My first drink was their signature iced coffee with espresso, milk, and cream. They began selling coffee twice a week with a small stand and the back of their truck at the local farmer’s market. The beans had been roasted in a shed in their backyard and lovingly brought to the market. Each week the demand increased for their coffee. As their customer base grew it came time for their own shop, a place to call home. That’s where I sit today to write.

Every Tuesday I come here to be surrounded by this building’s beauty, but also the beauty of their story. It’s a story of showing up and doing the work. A story of small steps, one coffee drink at a time, one bag of beans at a time, one customer at a time. Ozark’s story reminds me that in taking the first step we trust in an unknown future while still believing in the power of the work itself. I come here to write and each time I do I’m taking a small step, one word, one thought and sentence, and one paragraph at a time. I’ll keep doing the work, writing and sipping coffee, opening myself to the unknowable possibilities ahead.