If we were having coffee you would probably wonder who the heck I am. I would smile and ask you to pass the cream and the sugar and sit in awkward silence while I stirred a little wooden stick in my cup.

After a sip or two I might attempt to introduce myself, hopefully you would initiate the conversation though. I can be the teensiest bit socially reserved and ever so slightly shy. I’m not really shy, the sometimes awkwardly reserved part just gets in the way — at first.

I would tell you having company with my coffee is new, I typically sit by myself, but lately I am intrigued by the company I could be keeping, so I’ve decided to step outside of my bubble and join you.

Thank you for not switching tables.

If we were having coffee I would tell you all about the people I’m certain you already know, and if you don’t you should, who quite unknowingly reached inside my bubble and gently pulled me out. It all started with Lizzi. She kind of rocked my world some time ago and changed it by engaging me in conversation, by unconditionally offering her friendship. I kind of love her for that.

By now, I would be ordering another cuppa coffee and prattling on about life, love, writing, my children and the amazing happenstance that brought me here, #1000speak, you’ve heard of it, right? Of course you have, but if you hadn’t I would wait while you looked it up.

I would tell you I’m not much of a joiner, at least I haven’t been, but this whole voices for compassion movement moved me and now I am becoming a joiner. I would tell you I became a reluctant Twitterer, I joined a couple of blogging groups and I came out for coffee, with you.

You might not think these are very big things, but believe me they are bigger than I am accustomed to.

So Lizzi led me to #1000Speak, which led me to Twitter where GeneO the Sourcerer gave me a shout out and now, here I sit, having coffee with you.

If we were having coffee I would tell you it’s been one heck of a week full of new people I feel rather blessed to have found . . .

Crystal R. Cook