Five Minutes to Remember Who I Am

I think by this point we all know that Stephenie Meyer, author of the bestselling series Twilight, traveled to Forks, Washington and wrote the book in a café there. While I understood why she would want to go there for research purposes, I never really understood the appeal of writing somewhere other than your own home.

I had always written at my desk in my dining room or in a notebook on my lap in bed with no problems.

And then I discovered my local coffee shop.

While my debut manuscript wasn't born in this shop, it came to life here. And I've often wondered why it took this little, cozy place to make that happen.

The answer isn't quite what you might think. While the coffee shop plays a role (and more than just a small one), it has more to do with an internal awakening that happens here in the mornings.

I forget sometimes that the only reason I found this little shop was because I had quit my toxic job and was trying to find something that was just for me. A place to give myself a routine in the morning. A place to call mine.

That's the key.

While I wouldn't be where I am today without the staff at Pup's and Cups, the success of finishing that first draft had more to do with the sense of self this coffee shop gave me.

When you're a working parent—and especially when you're the working spouse—it’s really easy to get lost in the noise and forget who you are. You become mom, spouse, taxi, in-house chef, housekeeper, nurse… and somewhere along the way, the person you used to be gets buried under all the roles you play for everyone else.

I sit in the coffee shop today, and as much as I would love to dive into Comatose, I can't. I have a billion different appointments as mom or wife today, and then it's off to work.

So I only had a moment.

This moment.

To sit, drink my coffee, and remember that for just these five minutes… I'm no one but myself.