Things I Have Learned - There's room for one more

By Bill D. Ward

Today’s Wisdom: “Coffee is the best thing in life because it brings people together.” – Unknown

The other day I was with a group of retired guys enjoying a cup and some good conversation. One of the topics we covered was the art of sexing baby chickens. Afterwords it occurred to me how unique that experience was. Literally, where else in the world could I have sat down and engaged in a conversation on that topic, delivered by a friend who used to run a hatchery business? This is the same guy who introduced me to red-eyed ghosts some time back.

The really neat thing is that while our topics can be interesting and unusual, the experience of having those discussions is not. Not for any of the thousands of retired guys who wake up in the morning with a mission of showing up at a local coffee shop, café, gas station, church or random business in order to sit down with friends over a cup of coffee. Every morning it happens all over rural America.

The faces change over time, the size and energy of the group wavers as men age out or move away, but the one constant is the group. I know my life is richer because of the two groups I frequent and the relationships that I have developed there. You may not realize this, but many of the topics discussed over the years in this column were spawned in the conversations at those tables.

One of the things I have learned in life is that there is a huge difference in the quality of life among men. Some get up in the morning with no plans and nothing to do. Men were not made for that. It can be tough being alone morning to evening with no job to do and with nothing but the television for entertainment. 

Others get up in the morning with purpose and anticipation. They have a destination, something to get shaved and dressed for. They have a place where they are known and welcomed. I often think of the attraction of the Cheers bar, where everyone knows your name.

If you don’t have that place in your life, but it sounds interesting, then you just have to do what most of the rest of us did. We found out where the guys met, we walked in, approached the group and asked, “Is there room for one more?” Odds are the answer is yes. I’ve seen it happen many times. It’s the same way those other guys all got there. They get it. I’m just sayin’.