Scraps :

At the coffee shop I work at, we have these boards on the wall next to the condiment counter to honour our favourite customers and employees. Since I started working there about seven months ago, I've been in charge of each and every board. Tonight, though, I realized how meaningful these little instances of colour and creativity can be to those who receive them.

For instance, our employee of the month is a much-deserving, two-time employee of the month veteran. His face will be on the wall for all to see, yes, but most importantly, he will be recognized by all for his dedication and hard work at our store. Two of my favourite customers, a pair of sisters (an eighth grade tomboy and a sophomore fashionista), are customers of the month. After I asked them a few questions regarding why they love coming to our store, they said that their favourite part is talking to me. I nearly cried when they said this, because they have no idea how much I love them!

It is such a privilege to be someone's barista. Not everyone's, of course. We will always have those crappy customers whose incessant caffeine cravings deeply impair their ability to exercise grace, patience, compassion, kindness, or friendliness of any kind. It is the few customers who I get the pleasure of falling in love with over and over again each time they visit my store, however, that makes me remember why I love my job. It is because I get to see people I love and care about and am so fond of every day, both customers and coworkers alike. And oddly enough, I get paid to do so.

Three hours of glue, glitter, and little bits of paper pieces later, I'm finished with these masterpieces. I'm off sleep before I have to wake up and smell the coffee.