Coffee and Cheesecake

Have you ever had someone say something to you and you thought, how did they know that about me?

On this occasion, I was attending a weekend conference and one of the attendees who I’d only just met stated as I was leaving.

“Make sure you go and have a coffee and cheesecake this week Maria.”

My head turned sharply towards him. I was a little taken back and nervously laughed because cheesecake was actually my favourite dessert and how did this almost stranger know?

“Why?” I asked. He said,

    “Because you work hard and you deserve it!”

Smiling curiously at him, I said goodbye as I made my way to the carpark.

It was Monday, and I’d finished my morning seeing clients and that afternoon I’d planned to write my newsletter and do some well overdue bookwork, but for some reason, I kept hearing his voice in my head. Make sure you go and have a coffee and cheesecake this week Maria.

I’d tried to shrug it off, but the voice only became louder. It happened to be a beautiful sunny Autumn day so rather than keep to my schedule I decided to listen and head up into the mountains.

I travelled through Silvan a well-known farming district and picked some brightly coloured fresh flowers from the growers, then drove into Monbulk a delightful country suburb, thinking I’d catch up with friends and then we could walk to a local café and enjoy a coffee and you know it, cheesecake.

Monbulk was busy, and there were no available car parks. That seemed so odd as it was only Monday, not typical for this quiet country suburb of Melbourne. So, I continued and cut across the mountain.

Reaching Olinda, a quaint little place, I immediately found a park. Hooray! This was meant to be. After parking, I strolled along the main street casually popping into stores and browsing.  Now stopped in front of a wine bar, I thought maybe they would have coffee but then had the realisation they probably wouldn’t have any cheesecake. So, turned away and decided to go to a café across the road.

Was about to step off the path onto the road and felt a warm breeze past my left shoulder and twisted to my left to see what it was. My eyes were drawn to a sign saying The Pie STOP. I stood at the curb then thought, maybe they will have coffee and cheesecake.  

With anticipation, I walked along the street and up the stairs and through the doorway, to my right was a beautiful cabinet with a big delicious cheesecake inside. Smiling to myself I happily walked towards it, and a friendly mature-aged woman served me as I ordered, yep you’re onto it, coffee and cheesecake.

When sitting at a quiet table nearby, I pondered then thought,

Really Maria you don’t even feel like cheesecake right now. Coffee oh yeah, but not cheesecake.

My thoughts were doing their thing, you know having a private conversation. I looked up to see someone that I loved very much and had been apart from for some time. My daughter came walking down the stairs. She immediately noticed me and to both of our surprise we came together in a loving hug.

It still brings tears to my eyes recalling that day and of course the beautiful stranger at the conference who was the messenger. Did he know? I have no idea, but I’m incredibly grateful I chose not to ignore his message, nor the signs along the way that gently nudged me to that very moment.

Looking back, I see how easily it could have been to guilt myself into doing my bookwork and writing my newsletter. Then, persisted in finding a carpark in Monbulk and never ventured onto Olinda.

Feeling grateful I chose not to overthink and flow with the energy of that day, which seemed to show me the way.

I mean really! Coffee and cheesecake brought me together with my estranged daughter, and you know what? Maybe, I had been working hard and did deserve it.