Ode to Common Grounds by Zachary D.

If I could go anywhere or do anything in the world for a day, I would pedal my bike down to Common Grounds Coffee House with a few good books and my journal and stay there all day long. Common Grounds is my absolute favorite place in the world. The cafe atmosphere is simply enchanting.

I feel very at home at Common Grounds. It is as if time itself freezes while I am there. I can just sit back and watch the world go by in this caffeinated microcosm. The jazzy music and the bold decor make it a very relaxing place. I find it fascinating to watch everyone come and go, each person with their own lives to live, but briefly stopping in for a good cup of joe. I feel as though by just being here, I am able to connect with all other patrons. It's a very mystical sensation.

Sitting in my usual seat by the window with the morning sun streaming onto the table provides a wonderful opprotunity for me to reflect on my life in my journal. All of the sights, sounds and smells of this place are so inspiring, and compel me to write until my hand cramps up.

That's when I pull out my book or homework, and disconnect myself from all that is going on around me. Even when immersed in the worlds of Shakespeare or Emerson, I still feel the essence of the cafe within me and with out me.

I especially enjoy letting my eyes wander all over the walls, darting from artwork to artwork. Each piece of art is so unique. Some of it makes me laugh or cry, or think, and some of it just isn't that good, but intrigues me none the less. Common Grounds opens my eyes to a plethora of artistic media and local artists.

Every so often a friend or acquaintance will drop by in from out of the blue for their own cup of coffee, their own Common Gounds experience, and our paths will converge for a time. We'll stop and chat and just shoot the breeze becuase being here just feels so good.

As the day wears on and the sun starts to fill the windows of the opposite wall, I don't feel at all tired or bored. Every moment here is a completely new and unique experience that fills my life with wonder and excitement. Everything about Common Grounds makes my day. The ring of the cash register, the aroma of the fresh coffee, the not-so-perfect paint on the walls all make this place special, give it character.

I know that it's time to go home when the shining of the sun is replaced by the glow of the moon. I put my coffee cup and bid Common Grounds au revoir. I hop on my bike and head home. Am I really heading home, or just trading one home for another?