Coffee at the Crossroads
Some people might think it odd that I like to go to the Starbucks down the block. After all, I work at home and can easily make myself a cup of coffee or tea in my own kitchen. But that's just not the same as being in a coffee house. There is something about the atmosphere there that appeals to me. I realized what it is after listening to Jonathan Rubenstein talk about what goes on in Joe's Cafe, the coffee shop he runs. He says he can look around that room and see friendships forming. To recall the theme of today's show, the coffee house is one of "Crossroads" where people come together.
A Turkish proverb was quoted on the program: "A cup of coffee commits one to 40 years of friendship." In Israel today, serving a cup of coffee is an integral part of a reconciliation process known as Sulha. Writing in Spirituality & Health magazine, Louise Danielle Palmer describes this ancient indigenous Middle Eastern tradition that is now being used to bring Israelis and Palestinians together: "In the traditional ritual of Sulha, interactions between rivals are overseen by a mediator known as a jaha. Coffee is often prepared by the stronger party and served to the weaker party as a face-saving measure that restores honor to the aggrieved. During the course of the discussions, three rounds of coffee are served, each of which represents the next level of progress in peacemaking. A handshake at the end of the final round of hot drinks symbolizes the conflict’s resolution, followed by a feast shared by enemies who are now allies." You can read more about this process and see photos from recent gatherings at the website for the Sulha Peace Project.
As individuals we often come to crossroads in our lives, and when trying to decide what to do next, we may meet with a friend over a cup of coffee to discuss our options. But groups and communities and even nations also come to crossroads. This time after Hurricane Katrina is one such moment. We need to find the equivalent of a good coffee shop where we really listen to the victims, where we really talk about the issues that have surfaced in the aftermath, and where we as allies come together to work on better solutions to our problems.