One thing I really enjoy is taking a drive to explore coffee shops that are new to me. I had an opening in my schedule this morning, so I grabbed a book I’ve been reading—another activity I enjoy—searched for the “best coffee shops in Milwaukee County,” and chose La Finca Coffeehouse in St. Francis.
The book I brought, I See You’ve Called in Dead by John Kenney, follows a protagonist experiencing a midlife crisis who, along with a new acquaintance, attends the funerals of people they don’t know. At one funeral, the deceased person’s brother shared his hope that his brother was remembering the best times of his life in his final days. He described their younger years: long summer days, working on cars, laughter-filled gatherings with friends, and their mom calling them in for dinner.
It got me thinking about similar times in my own life—and that was a lovely way to spend some time. We don’t always appreciate the good moments when they’re mixed in with challenging ones. Like many people, I’ve had my share of challenges this past year. But there have also been many moments worth enjoying.
For fun—and for my own well-being—I’m going to try keeping a running list of enjoyable moments each month, starting this November. So far, my November list includes:
1. Drinking coffee, reading the book, and feeling inspired to start this list.
2. Taking my dad to breakfast at Riley’s Tavern, near the Military Ridge State Trail, to meet some friends. He used to go there often with a good friend who has since passed away, but hadn’t been back in years. They would stop for breakfast before or after biking—with the consensus being that breakfast afterward was much better. Hearing him remember those times made the morning special.
I’m going to give this “best of the month” list a try. These moments didn’t happen by accident. I made choices that I thought would be enjoyable and that aligned with what matters to me: spending time with family and friends, exploring, reading, and writing. They don’t always turn out as nicely as this morning and last weekend did, but they’re more likely to happen when I make room for them.
