A short black for a long while

I treated myself to a macchiato this morning at a friendly little deli around the corner from where I used to live.

I sat, read the newspapers, sipped slowly at the tiny coffee, and completely immersed myself in matters of the world.

Financial crises, leadership challenges, stories of violence, stories of hope, cynicism beside optimism beside pessimism beside strange inquisition. The less liquid there was in my cup, the more I found my thoughts floating far from myself and to those people and issues that I truly care about.

After being completely involved in my own world for so long, it was a comforting relief to re-find some perspective beyond the borders of my life.

There is so much that I miss from home. People, problems, solutions, challenges, familiarity, family, friends... But the wonderful thing about this re-discovery was that I could also look back on my own self from without, and I could see exactly where I was.

I was walking along the Meadows, with Edinburgh Castle keeping watch over my left shoulder, a bag of bread and a carton of eggs under my right arm, and an old friend on the phone from Brisbane. I could see the distance between myself and my native land, but I could also see all the Australia that I carry with me, all the home that lives in my heart.

This morning I remembered what an incredibly lucky guy I am, and that is a really great way to start a day.