A break that does not have to produce anything

My coffee does not come with a list of goals. It is a small ritual, just enough to keep me from jumping straight into other people's agendas. Sometimes it is the only participant in the discussion who does not come with an unsolicited opinion.

I find it interesting how quickly we turn rest into an investment. We relax to be productive. We go for a walk to clear our minds. Even doing nothing needs a respectable justification. Otherwise we feel a little guilty for not delivering anything.

There are periods when we really have a lot to do. You can't settle bills with a sunset photo. But sometimes we continue to act as if everything is urgent even after the urgency has passed. We fill a free day because silence seems like an unused space.

Then there is also the obligation to show that we feel good. The place must be interesting, the table photographed, the exit memorable. We end up administering the weekend's presentation with a seriousness that even Monday's meeting does not deserve.

I would like to leave some things at their actual size. A good coffee can only be a good coffee. A discussion can lead nowhere and still please you. An afternoon without a program is not necessarily a loss of potential.

If at the end you have nothing spectacular to tell, maybe you simply had a few good hours. I don't think a report should be submitted for them.