Several years ago a small coffee shop called the Greatful Heart graced the downtown of Geneva, IL. It did so before such things were trendy — long before Starbucks decided to open up a franchise a block away and drive them out of business. It was the perfect sort of place to spend a few hours lost in thought, well-lit with dim corners to hide in.

At the time, I was working two blocks away. It was convienient to stop by for lunch or dinner, or just to hang out with a hot chocolate or steaming cup of tea. One of the things I liked about that place was the casual and fun attitude. They had stacks of notebooks at each table where you could sit and read or write. Best of all, there was only a few people in there at a time, and after awhile they became familiar faces.

I realized today how much fun that little place was, and how much I miss it. There’s plenty of Starbucks and the like around, but nothing that matches the ambiance of that little place that I still think fondly of in my greatful heart.