For years now, this dream has been mine and mine alone. It felt safer that way. To hope and to imagine the world where I create coffee for others to enjoy was a fun place to escape to, before the daunting tasks of everyday life set in and I had to put the dream aside once more. I was able to share those dreams with my close circle, to those that I felt safe with. Who would appreciate trying a new bag of coffee out, no matter if it was good or bad. It felt like to those people, they were just happy to be included in the dream: no matter if it ever became a reality or not.
If I’m being honest, there was a lot of fear that was keeping this dream away from reality. The fear of failure, the fear of rejection, the fear of not amounting to anything. The creeping feeling in my head that this coffee was only something that I enjoyed, and everyone else was just being polite. I got so wrapped up in my own head that I couldn’t see what was before me. Or more specifically, who was before me.
It was all of you. All of you dreamers just like me. Who knows what it feels like to have a dream that just refuses to stay inside of your head for one more second. Who knows the feeling of creating for more than yourself: to create something to be enjoyed with as many people possible. Who knows what its like to step out of your comfort zone into the realm of vulnerability where its either sink or swim.
It was all of the voices around me telling me to keep pursuing my dreams. It was all of the right affirmations at the times that I needed them most so I didn’t throw everything away. It was my wife putting up with a goofy husband with two masters degrees working as a barista in a coffee shop; learning how to roast and to dream about what his own coffee shop would look like. It was my parents (and in-laws too!) Supporting me as I made them try a lot of wild recipes before locking down the ones I have today. It was my best friends who didn’t even like coffee sitting down and going through a cupping to understand flavor profiles more in depth.
Last but certainly not least, it was all of you that took a leap of faith of your own and trusted a big kid with a bigger dream of sharing great coffee with the world that made this dream a reality. It feels like people from every walk of my life came back to walk with me on this new journey forward. Old Friends and new, my closest relatives to family I only get to see at reunions! People from Pennsylvania, North and South Carolina, Oklahoma, Arizona, Kentucky and Texas all rallied around this dreamer to make it a reality. I couldn’t have done it without each and every one of you. So for you all especially; thank you. You are all bring me a special dose of light and life that I pray I can return back to you through my coffee.
If I’ve learned anything from this experience, its this: big dreams are too heavy to be carried alone. They’re meant to be shared by a community. I’m just amazed and blessed at the community that God has given me to share it with. Thank you all for being the best community that a guy could ever want and need. Looking forward to the day where we can all share a cup of coffee together, and bring one another a little more light and life into our lives.