Before COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdown in Victoria, one of my favourite ways to relax and to recharge is to sit in a café, alone, sipping latte, while watching people, eavesdropping conversations, or reading books. I am fortunate to live in Melbourne (I know, most people will not agree with this in the current circumstances) where the coffee culture is great. There is no lack of unique independent cafes in Melbourne, and most of them serve excellent coffee, often complemented by lovely coffee art.
Unfortunately, since the middle of March, sipping latte in a café has become a luxury; and since early August, with the stage 4 restriction in Melbourne, all restaurants and cafes are closed for dining in, this simple pleasure has become impossible and illegal. Nowadays I only get to sit down to drink coffee at home or at work, so I have to resort to make-believe latte from home, or take-away latte from the hospital café.
A few days ago, I decided to get a take-away latte from a proper café. As the barista poured the milk into the take-away cup, he created a lovely heart-shaped coffee art on the surface. It had been awhile since I saw someone making latte art, my heart swelled with appreciation, I could not help but exclaimed, “Wow, it’s so beautiful!” The barista looked surprised but was pleased with the compliment.
When I left the café, with the coffee cup warming my hands, and the latte art now hidden by the cup lid, I was impressed by the professionalism of the barista. In the current climate most people would not notice or appreciate his effort in making the coffee art, as the coffee is handed out to customers in take-away cups, with the lids on; yet he takes the effort to make it beautiful.
That day, I discovered another aspect of RESILIENCE!
Resilience is to be passionate and professional in what we are positioned and purposed to do, no matter what.
The lesson I learnt: when we face setbacks in life, when no one seems to understand or appreciate what we do, we can still have joy when we maintain a positive perspective and focus on our passion and purpose, rather than being discouraged by the lack of attention and applause.
Real Life Resilience 