Vigilance Pays Off (whether for coffee…or truth)


January 20, 2015
Fun and Silly + Love

Any time I head out to a remote area like my trip to west Texas this past weekend, I mentally prepare myself to go without a mocha for a few days (yes, I know, it’s pretty sad that this takes actual mental preparation!).

However, if I catch wind that there might be a coffee shop in the area (with a real espresso machine), I’m like a Chihuahua that latches onto a pant leg and won’t let go…I’ll stop at nothing to find the place!

Marfa, TX proved to be quite the adventure, in this regard…

Good ole Google let me know that there were not one, but TWO potential coffee shops in town. Marfa is a bit of an oasis in this way.

I decided to go with the one that had the quirkier name—Do Your Thing Coffee (the competing option was Big Bend Coffee Roasters…not near as fun).

The next morning, my friend, Crystal, and I headed out in search of the coffee shop with our handy iPhone as our guide. The GPS coordinates led us here:

Marfa Coffee Shop Adventure_GPS locationUmmm…where’s the coffee shop?

Not to be discouraged, we continued on in search of the elusive coffee shop. After circling the block to no avail, I called the shop. Ring, ring, ring…more rings…ahhh, finally, a recording…

“We’ve recently limited our business hours.” Oh crap.

“We’re open Friday, from 8:30 til 2:00”. Yay, today’s Friday and it’s almost 8:30!

“We’re located by the bookstore, behind the lumber yard…through the court yard.” Huh?

We drive around the block and notice a dirt road that looks like it cuts through the various businesses that were listed on the recording. This must be the way (don’t mind the melting ice on our windshield)…

Marfa Coffee Shop Adventure_dirt roadWe come upon what we believe passes as a business parking lot (it’s a dirt lot with some cars parked in it), thinking this must be it. Still no signage of any sort, but nonetheless, we see what looks like a door to a business (hopefully to Do Your Thing Coffee) and proceed to enter the building…

Crap, it’s locked. Just as we’re about to head back to the car, a man opens the door with a big welcoming smile on his face. Hallelujah, we found it! We’re about to enter, when he says he doesn’t open until noon.

“But your recording said you open at 8:30 on Fridays.”

It turns out we were trying to enter an art gallery (and probably through a back door), not the coffee shop. What the heck!?

He generously points us in the right direction, which is where we’ve just come from. Totally confused, we continue back to that spot.

I finally get out of the car and start walking around, thinking I’ll see something I must have missed earlier. I notice a woman near the fence that our directions initially led us to and ask if the coffee shop is there. She responds with a Yes…Wahoo!

It turns out she was setting up a sandwich board sign—at exactly 8:30am—indicating that there was, indeed, a coffee shop at the exact location that our trusted iPhone initially brought us to.

She’d also opened a small people gate, lovingly inviting the public into what, at first, appeared to be a pen for animals…

Marfa Coffee Shop Adventure_side gateThe metal shed in the background turned out to be the coffee shop.

Marfa Coffee Shop Adventure_entrance

Once we opened the sliding metal door, we entered one of the coolest coffee shops that I’ve ever been to!

Marfa Coffee Shop Adventure_interior with baristaOf course, being in the middle of nowhere, the coffee adventure didn’t end there…

They only had teeny-tiny cups (the bigger cups wouldn’t be there until 10:00am), yet they still charged full price…a whoppin’ $5 bucks! I think that’s the most per ounce that I’ve ever paid for a mocha.

But I must say, the adventure paid off…

Those four to six ounces were pretty awesome! And the adventure was priceless. 🙂

Marfa Coffee Shop Adventure_coffee cup

First moral of the story: stay vigilant and your efforts will pay off, whether you’re trying to find a mocha on the other side of nowhere or relentlessly dedicating yourself to consciously knowing truth.

Second moral of the story: If we’re as vigilant towards the pursuit of truth as we are with our vices (or “passions”, if you prefer), truth is guaranteed to reveal itself in your awareness.

When it comes to consciously aligning with truth (love), vigilance is needed as long as an alternative to truth exists in our awareness (i.e., ego is still active). Steadfast vigilance is what brings us to this state. Then, once here, it’s no longer needed, since there is no longer a choice for or against truth/love.

When we fully anchor in love, having no competing alternative choice, all of our thoughts and actions manifest from love.

Love is meant to be known…it’s our natural state, as well as our natural response to life.

Stay vigilant, my friends. Truth—love—is worth the effort. (So is finding a mocha in remote west Texas!)

To weaving crazy coffee adventures with spiritual lessons,

Shanna

P.S. If you’re interested, here are a few more pics from our trip…

Bundled up to see the mysterious Marfa Lights (don’t mind our silly matching camo jackets!):Marfa Lights

Best thing about staying in a cheap motel in Terlingua, TX (besides the bed, heat and warm water…as opposed to camping), this view!

Terlingua Motel SunsetWe were so energized after seeing this sunset that we took on our 7 mile hike like we were actually in shape to do so! 😉

Fresno Divide Hike_ShannaMe before it was time to strip off the layers!

Fresno Divide HikeWahoo, we made it to our end point!

Now to head back….Fresno Divide Hike_CrystalWe had to be up at 5:00am the morning of the 30K / 50Mile footrace, so we camped at the aide station we were manning. Not a bad view…

Camping on the Other Side of NowhereOur aide station…we were the first and last aide station for both races, so it was an all day affair.

Waterstop in the middle of nowhere editThe runners put our 7 mile hike to shame. However, I was inspired to workout this morning. 🙂

If you’re a runner looking for an amazing trail run with scenery to boot, be sure to check www.bigbend50.com for next year’s race information. It happens the Sunday of MLK weekend.

Or if you’re a hiker, like us, (or a mountain biker) be sure to check out Big Bend Ranch State Park, also known as the “the other side of nowhere”. It’s worth the effort to get there. 🙂

Thanks for reading to the end. I hope you enjoyed the additional trip details. See ya next week (here on the blog)!

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