I recently saw a picture somewhere online of two people hugging with a caption reading "Free Hugs." It took my mind back to Guadalajara, this summer. My youth group went on a mission trip there and one day we walked around the main square with signs that told the world we were different. Those signs advertised "Free Hugs" (In Spanish). But this picture also took my mind down a strange path. I was thinking if free hugs are a big deal, there must be a cost to that hug. It's just logic for something to be free it must first have a cost. What is the cost of a hug? I don't pay people money for a warm embrace (but I suppose you could). What do I offer in return for a sign of a friendly connection? There are so many different types of hugs and I think each one comes with a different fee. A side hug is most comparable to a penny. We throw it way. You can get side hugs from anyone so the cost of that isn't even worth exploring further. Then you have the hug that as soon as it starts there comes a pat on your back signifying the end. It is a hug that you would give to a friend. The cost is just friendship. Nothing more or less. Then we move up to the big categories. You have a consoling hug. One you give a friend who needs it. The two people owe something to the other when a consoling hug is exchanged. They both have to be an emotional support. So don't go giving hugs to crying acquaintances. You don't want to have that between you and someone you don't know well enough. Then there is a loving hug. One I would give to someone I love. Words aren't good enough to describe that hug and it's cost. So I won't use any. There are probably more types of hugs but I think this is enough to get hugs and their cost on the mind.
Friday, October 24, 2008
Sunday, October 19, 2008
The Culture of Coffee
This was one of my assignment for my English. It was to describe a place where you go to relax. I choose Sugar Brown's. I was very proud of it so I had to post it. Enjoy.
Society has enthusiastically fallen into coffee’s warm aromatic arms and I’m no exception. Like everyone else I also have chosen a favorite coffee shop. It may not be as ingrained into our society as Starbuck’s but Sugar Brown’s offers a intimate setting that attracts an eclectic mix of people. The things that keep me coming back time after time are the engaging environment, the delicious coffee and the welcoming people.
The first experience I take in when walking into Sugar Brown’s is the alluring environment. The walls always catch my eye because the local art is always changing. I can hear all the conversations going on at once and I feel the emotions involved with each one. The lighting is low and it induces a tranquil euphoria. When I look at the dark ceiling I can see the twinkle of star-like lights that emulate the night sky. I look over in a small nook and am invited by the couches to come, rest, and forget the day. The music is always pleasing to my ears and soothing to my soul because they play many different genres that contribute to the lax ambience. During all this, the dulcet aromas of coffee draw me towards the counter.
The coffee, and other delicious beverages, pleads with you to stay and enjoy all that Sugar Brown’s has to offer. I look and see the menu’s vast variety offered to my impatient taste buds. I can always fall back on the default bottomless cup of coffee for a fair price of $3. Their various mixed drinks are always a good choice. They have lattes that are flavored with maple syrup, cinnamon, toffee nut, or any other flavor I desire. They also serve coffee in a French press, which is the king of all coffees. I can sample coffees from exotic place like Brazil or Kenya, and I am guaranteed that they are all fair trade and growth hormone free. If I’m not in the mood for a coffee based drink I can indulge in a fruit smoothie that tickles the taste bud. The Chia teas are warm alternatives that awaken feelings of Christmas. The best of all the non-coffee drink is the 20° Below which is an elegant mix of chocolate served cold. I try to relish over my choice of beverage and the baristas are always glad to help me make my decision.
The true reason I am drawn back to Sugar Brown’s every time is the multitudes of people that make me feel that I belong to something far greater than I will ever be. There are the baristas that are always glad to have a friendly conversation and have become friends instead of just people providing a service. They have come to remember my name and I now know most of theirs. The next category of people is the old friends that I can have healing conversation with and who will be in my heart forever. They make Sugar Brown’s feel safe, like a second home. With these close friends I am guaranteed to meet new people that visit Sugar Brown’s often. The musicians that play are also as friendly as the customers that come to enjoy the music. It is different than seeing a famous musician play because you can personally complement them and strike up a normal conversation about life.
Sugar Brown’s is so welcoming because of the amazing environment, the aromatic coffee, and the sociable people. I may have followed a fad of society by coming to know a coffee shop as an extension of my home but I do not regret it at all. I am not just falling into coffee’s warm embrace but also into people’s welcoming arms.
Society has enthusiastically fallen into coffee’s warm aromatic arms and I’m no exception. Like everyone else I also have chosen a favorite coffee shop. It may not be as ingrained into our society as Starbuck’s but Sugar Brown’s offers a intimate setting that attracts an eclectic mix of people. The things that keep me coming back time after time are the engaging environment, the delicious coffee and the welcoming people.
The first experience I take in when walking into Sugar Brown’s is the alluring environment. The walls always catch my eye because the local art is always changing. I can hear all the conversations going on at once and I feel the emotions involved with each one. The lighting is low and it induces a tranquil euphoria. When I look at the dark ceiling I can see the twinkle of star-like lights that emulate the night sky. I look over in a small nook and am invited by the couches to come, rest, and forget the day. The music is always pleasing to my ears and soothing to my soul because they play many different genres that contribute to the lax ambience. During all this, the dulcet aromas of coffee draw me towards the counter.
The coffee, and other delicious beverages, pleads with you to stay and enjoy all that Sugar Brown’s has to offer. I look and see the menu’s vast variety offered to my impatient taste buds. I can always fall back on the default bottomless cup of coffee for a fair price of $3. Their various mixed drinks are always a good choice. They have lattes that are flavored with maple syrup, cinnamon, toffee nut, or any other flavor I desire. They also serve coffee in a French press, which is the king of all coffees. I can sample coffees from exotic place like Brazil or Kenya, and I am guaranteed that they are all fair trade and growth hormone free. If I’m not in the mood for a coffee based drink I can indulge in a fruit smoothie that tickles the taste bud. The Chia teas are warm alternatives that awaken feelings of Christmas. The best of all the non-coffee drink is the 20° Below which is an elegant mix of chocolate served cold. I try to relish over my choice of beverage and the baristas are always glad to help me make my decision.
The true reason I am drawn back to Sugar Brown’s every time is the multitudes of people that make me feel that I belong to something far greater than I will ever be. There are the baristas that are always glad to have a friendly conversation and have become friends instead of just people providing a service. They have come to remember my name and I now know most of theirs. The next category of people is the old friends that I can have healing conversation with and who will be in my heart forever. They make Sugar Brown’s feel safe, like a second home. With these close friends I am guaranteed to meet new people that visit Sugar Brown’s often. The musicians that play are also as friendly as the customers that come to enjoy the music. It is different than seeing a famous musician play because you can personally complement them and strike up a normal conversation about life.
Sugar Brown’s is so welcoming because of the amazing environment, the aromatic coffee, and the sociable people. I may have followed a fad of society by coming to know a coffee shop as an extension of my home but I do not regret it at all. I am not just falling into coffee’s warm embrace but also into people’s welcoming arms.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
The Simple Complexity, Love
I've been taught all my life you should love your neighbors, enemies, and anyone else you came in contact with. It's just one of those things Christians believe in. But after those many years learning it I never understood the concept fully. I guess I want to say that I didn't truly love for the first 18 years of my life. It was just something I said. It was abstract and I just said I loved someone and it was so. No feeling. Even true towards my family. It's sad to know you've been lying to people, including your parents, when you said you loved them. But I've grown and that brings joy to my heart. People that have entered my life by way of house church have taught me to love. This sounds pretty cheesy but I mean it with all my heart. I can now say, "I love you" and be sincere. It's a wonderful feeling. I mean AMAZING! To be able to express the one emotion that God is, with your words and actions, is truly one of the greatest gifts God has given. Now I'm not to the point to where I love my enemies and all my neighbors. I'm not even to a point where I can love everyone close to me. Some people I have know for years, still feel like a superficial friend. You know the one you just make small talk or jokes with. But that is another post for another time.
Ryan Douglas Jarboe
Ryan Douglas Jarboe
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