Senior Cafe and other reasons to gather

I want to go to Senior Cafe, or something like it. Photo by Emre on Unsplash.

A local organization that supports disabled people in my town announced this week that they are hosting a new Senior Café event on most mornings of the week. The flyer said there would be free coffee and even continental breakfast for sale beginning at 7:30 a.m. each day.

Under a picture of a big cup of coffee and pastries, the announcement asked if readers needed a place to gather to solve the world’s problems. It made me happy just to read it.

I don’t yet fall into the “senior” category, so I don’t think I’ll be crashing their new social group, but I would like to attend. The world has many problems needing solving, and who knows, maybe there will be answers to some of them.

Not too long ago, the regular meeting of people, neighbors and those who barely know each other, took place all around communities. In diners and cafes, donut shops and plazas, people met simply to meet. Not formally meet, but the kind of meetings that take place with no agendas or minute taking.

I like those kinds of meetings. You know who is going to be there most of the time. You know what might be brought up in terms of small talk. The rest is left to the wind. Everyone has their favorite side of…