Definition of convive
: a fellow banqueter or feaster : a comrade at table
When I think of all the people that I’ve met in my 52 years on this Earth, there are some that stand out more than others. Today’s story is going to center on a particular group from a sort of home away from home, for me.
While those closest to me were charting their own courses through my illness and walking on eggshells – cancer can really bring down a room – I was secretly thinking about my impending death. I was having a good day if I had the energy to get dressed. My disintegrating health, however, would go through peaks and valleys. On the really good days, you were most likely to find this girl at Convive Coffee Roastery. My favorite place is owned by two very special people, Ryland and Katie Leigh Weber. On many a day, they put a smile in my heart and it wasn’t an easy thing to do at this time in my life.
I would sit on the wooden bench at my favorite corner table and watch the people walk in and out. Ordering their latte and tea. Decaf Americano for me, please (a drink of espresso diluted with hot water – mmm….). Caffeine was not my friend due to extreme heartburn from treatment. I imagined myself tasting the coffee. I would put it into my feeding tube and it felt like I could taste it throughout my body. The warmth of this drink felt good. I had to make sure I cooled it down, a bit, though. If I didn’t, it would burn going in – Ouch!! And not once did I ever feel self conscious in my Home Away From Home….
My baristas (in this story, they’re mine) would always smile when I walked in. Janell has been one of my biggest cheerleaders. “Hi, Kelly. How are you feeling?” Nate and I would discuss his hair. “Kelly, should I cut my hair? Should I let it grow?” I don’t know how we always got on that topic, but we did. He was fixated on the “Mullet” for quite a while and I would always say, “A great choice. Not too many people can pull off that look, but I think you could.” Joe, coffee roaster extraodinaire, needs no introduction. My cousin and I liked to get him talking. Joe is the quiet one, but quite friendly. He, also, has the best tattoos on his arms. Scott and I enjoyed chatting with Cory about life and whatever other subject would come up. No matter who was working on any particular day, no matter what kind of day any of us were having, these friends were just what the doctor ordered.
I haven’t been in for a while, now. Just some issues on my end. Nothing to write home about and I’ll be back, soon. I can’t wait!!
Thanks to each and every one of you for helping to pull me through. I don’t know where I’d be without my Convivians (ok, I made that word up), but it sounds good….
Until next week, K xo
