The other day I stopped by the café to grab a coffee to go. The place was half-empty and the weather was chilly, so I thought why not have my coffee here. Sometimes it’s nice to slow down and just give yourself half an hour of not doing anything. I paid for the coffee and looked around the place, pondering where I should sit. Small tables, the ones that were not taken, didn’t look particularly welcoming. I glanced at the table, the one that always attracted me but that I never dared to take. It was a table for four. Occupying such a large space always felt barbaric. This is a table for a company, right? Or at least for a couple, I thought, noticing two empty cups on the table. It’s not a table for one. Or is it?
This little scene at the café made me wonder. How many amazing opportunities do we miss out on simply because we don’t have someone to share them with? Do you remember the last time you wanted to do a certain thing but ended up not doing it because your friend or your partner wasn’t as excited as you? I certainly remember a lot of such things. Taking up a new hobby, traveling to a different city. Or even something as simple as going out for dessert. Somehow, I always felt more comfortable having the other person with me. Yet I couldn’t help but notice how invigorating were the moments I was completely alone. And how good it felt afterward when I told my loved ones about the time I spent by myself. It was like we shared this moment by not sharing it at that exact moment.
The table I took at that café on a Tuesday morning turned out to be everything I loved. It was spacious and had a really nice view. It was perfect – and I almost missed it, because I thought I wasn’t enough to take that much space alone. Would there really be any difference if I had someone sitting across the table? Of course, we would probably be engaged in a conversation, and I wouldn’t feel weird sitting alone with three empty chairs. But then I wouldn’t have this moment of solitude.
I wondered about the people who sat at this table before me. What are they like? They made this table their little space for two. For half an hour I sat there, I made it my little space for one. And one is as good as two. Sometimes even better. So don’t miss out on these experiences if you have no one to share them with. You are your best company.