This morning I had another “Chocolat” moment. You remember the movie “Chocolat” where the woman and her daughter arrive into the very conservative French town and she opens up a chocolaterie? As she helps her “clients” choose their particular favourite chocolate morsel, she opens up the possibility for them to really share and heal what is going on in their lives – from loneliness, domestic violence, finding love and breaking out of religious conservatism, as examples.
My “Chocolat” moment was this……smiling remembering my day yesterday working in our French cafe Pyrenees here in Auckland. As a part-time job alongside of my coaching/healing work, I love the opportunities that the cafe opens up for me to truly connect with people and to help them open up and feel listened to, supported, encouraged and inspired. Yesterday the simple act of a ribbon around a box of french “food delights” provided such opportunities.
1. A women arrives most days. She always enters slowly, head down and with a very sad demeanour. To date I have welcomed her with little response from her. Yesterday I noticed a glimpse of a smile or “lightness” in her that I hadn’t noticed before. It gave me cause to remark to her about that and really ask her about her day. With her coffee in hand and a croissant, which I wrapped in a simple white box with a ribbon on it, she told me she had been daily visiting a friend who has terminal cancer. I could sense her relief in being able to share this moment and it allowed me to really encourage and admire her in a brand new way, rather than see the “solemn” exterior which I had previously noticed in her.
2. A young man arrives and checks out the gateau section of the cafe rather nervously. I described to him the beautiful rich and adorned chocolate and passion gateau – a small, shareable gift of food for someone. I could easily have rung up the purchase on the till and said my “Au revoir”. Instead I enquired further. It was for his girlfriend to celebrate her birthday. When I suggested we “put a ribbon around the box” to make it look pretty – my comment being “girls love this kind of thing!”, he shrugged and said “Nah, she’ll be right!” – a great kiwi expression! I intuitively decided to ribbon it up anyway. When I returned he beamed with pride and walked out with a skip in his step!
3. A mum and her daughter arrived – apparently the girl was having a “sick day”. Perhaps sick, but perhaps also wanting to simply take a day off and “hang with mum”. When they ordered, they were thinking about dashing away and eating on the run. I suggested that they might just want to “chill” together on the cafe sofa and enjoy their time and food together. Instead of simply putting their patisseries on a plate, I gift wrapped it up and delivered it to their table. The simple ribbon allowed an almost sacred moment for this mother and daughter to connect, in what I hope was a memorable moment.
My “ribbon lesson” or “Chocolat” reminder is that people love to feel special. People love to connect and be heard. People love to celebrate. People love to chill and not be busy. People love to be acknowledged and recognized for their kindness and compassion. People love the opportunity to connect more intimately, but often need to be given the opportunity. Like Juliette Binoche in Chocolat, I am not in the cafe to sell coffees. I am there to LOVE people.