No WiFi

Yesterday during a soggy afternoon, I sauntered into a cafe. It was a coffee shop nestled in the heart of downtown I'd driven past many times. From the outside it looked like a great little spot to enjoy a cup of tea and get some work done. I decided to park my car and finally check it out.

When I stepped inside I was not disappointed. The dins of jazz played just loud enough,  I was inspired by the different groups meeting together for projects that looked both interesting and meaningful, and even the temperature of the room was perfect.

I stepped to the counter and glanced at the large black board listing all the food and different drinks they served written in chalk. They even had my favorite tea.

Just as I was about to order I looked up and read a sign that said, "Sorry. No WiFi." That's not gonna work, I thought to myself and left.

I got into my car disappointed searching earnestly for a new place to plop down and type away. But after just a few minutes I felt a gradual shift in my thinking.

I now appreciated how the cafe was committed to creating a very specific type of community. Rather than a place where the first thing you saw upon entering was a flotilla of laptops and plugged-in patrons, this establishment opted for an environment where people would have to connect in person - to talk and take on tasks that required a more personal kind of interaction.

We all have the capacity to change our communities and environments in some small way by making seemingly insignificant choices.