The thoughts that shape my writing

Fragments of history, reflections on memory, and glimpses of the human thread that runs through it all.

The Coffee Shop Conundrum
John Rees John Rees

The Coffee Shop Conundrum

In the rush of everyday life, how often do we truly pause and just be? On a long, slow drive home from Oxford, a chance encounter with a Buddhist nun at a motorway service station became an unexpected lesson in presence. Amid the chaos of busy roads and distracted drivers, she shared a simple piece of wisdom passed to her by the Dalai Lama: “Be Here Now.”

This isn’t a story about road trips — it’s a reminder that peace isn’t found in getting somewhere faster, but in being fully present where you are.

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