Coffe House Wisdom

>I am sitting in a coffee shop, writing some thoughts for a retreat I’ll be giving this weekend. (At the The Franciscan Renewal Center in Scottsdale, AZ — interested? Go to thecasa.org.register) I was hoping that the combination of coffee and chocolate would somehow render wisdom through my pen onto the blank notepad on the table. But alas, no. There is a great rule of thumb in these moments: when you are short on wisdom, savor the chocolate.
And eavesdrop.
One employee recognizes a young woman sitting at a table with her coffee. “Long time no see. How are you? Do you still work here?”
“No. I’m divorced now.”
(I put my pen down. It will take all my mental energy to follow the logic.)
“Wow. Lucky you. A single woman now!”
“Yep. I’m freeeee!”
“That’s gotta feel great.”
“Yep. We tried to kill each other most of the time.”
“I’ll bet that wasn’t fun.”
“No not so much. But we’re friends now. We hardly see each other.”
Far be it from me to take a moral high road about anyone’s relational drama. I have my own troubles sorting out how any of us get past “how are you?” We all have our battles to fight. But this much I know: all relationships are a series of small steps. It could be that there is wisdom in even the smallest of steps. And not killing one another, is a pretty good place to start.