Chapter 1
The Prologue
The bespectacled, ruddy-faced young man sat staring at the blinking cursor on the screen. He desperately searched for the right words as his fingers remained frozen over the keyboard. Deep in thought, he reached to take a sip of his steaming cup of tea.
"Hot!" he exclaimed impatiently, dropping the cup back into the saucer. "Figures," he grumbled as he turned back toward his screen.
The small café has seen many businesses in its century-plus of existence. Still, it has enjoyed the last 40 years as the area's eclectic go-to spot for freshly roasted coffee or unique blends of tea paired perfectly with freshly baked pastries. Depending on who you ask, the pastries bring people back more than the coffee or tea.
The exposed brick wall framed the far end of the café, and a half-dozen small tables and mismatched chairs filled the space in front of the serving bar. The brass bell attached to the antique wood and glass door announced each customer with a familiar, calming sound.
Moments after a ring of the bell, the young man was greeted unexpectedly. "Writing a story?" a delicate voice spoke from above him. Looking up, the young man's eyes met the kind smile of the sun-drenched figure speaking to him. Short-cropped, silver hair perfectly framed the face of the distinguished lady who carefully balanced her blueberry scone in one hand and her cup of hot tea in the other.
"I once knew a writer and storyteller who sat in this same spot," she said as she sat down across the communal table. "What story are you trying to write?" she asked, sipping her tea with care.
Curious, the young man surveyed her and then slumped back into the antique chair. He let out a heavy sigh of defeat. "An email to the girl I love," he said as his voice trailed off in resignation.
"Ah, matters of the heart," she smiled mischievously. "Now, that is a noble story to tell. But why the long face?"
His extended pause allowed the distinguished lady to sample the warm blueberry scone and take another satisfying sip of her tea.
"She doesn't know how I feel," the young man softly replied. "I feel like this whole relationship will crumble if this email is not perfect."
The lady placed her scone on her plate and shifted her weight slightly in her chair to make eye contact with the young man. "I've learned in life that in work, play, or relationships, we are designed to connect with others. How we do that determines how well we do this thing called life."
The young man gently nodded his head as he hung on every word.
"Would you like some help?" she asked in a tender tone. The young man's eyes brightened with a combination of suspicion and hope.
"How can you help me?"
The lady smiled gently as she pulled out a notebook and fountain pen. "My name is Leah. Let me tell you a story.."
The Note
Leah opened her well-worn notebook to a blank page to record insights from the young man. It seemed as if it was only yesterday, and the roles were reversed as Leah, a then-young manager, sat in the café, desperately looking for the words to write in an email. Then, all those years ago, Leah met her mentor, whom everyone on campus called The Professor.
Years later, after a successful career culminating as the CEO of a global company, Leah decided to return to campus and become a professor in the business school. Once word was out that Leah was teaching, her classes became the most popular on campus, with students from non-business majors taking her class for the practical lessons on life.
"Thank you, Leah. I'm Thomas." The young man offered as he shifted in his chair.
"Thomas, tell me why this note is so important to you." Leah began cradling the pen in her hand, ready to record Thomas's thoughts. The notebook, one of many, contained her most recent notes from various conversations. Earlier in her life, she was purely digital in her note-taking, but she still enjoys tapping on her laptop or tablet's keys from time to time. Her mentor, the Professor, shared the value of putting pen to paper.
Thomas slowly dropped the screen on his laptop to remove the barrier between him and Leah as he prepared his thoughts. "Maya and I met two years ago during our second-year internship at a Wall Street investment firm. The pace was grueling, with little time for ourselves, but with what time we had, Maya and I spent it together exploring the city. Both of us were from small towns in the South and spent very little time in New York until college," Thomas recalled as his face lit up thinking about Maya.
"Relationships developed in the trenches have powerful bonds," Leah said as she recorded a thought in her journal. "What happened at the end of your internship?" Leah asked as she continued with her scone.
"Maya accepted a job with the New York investment bank, and I took a job with a financial service company in Dallas on a service delivery team," Thomas said with mixed emotions in his voice.
Leah's gentle gaze prompted Thomas to continue his story. "For the last 18 months, Maya and I have been making it work long-distance." Thomas continued with a slight increase in intensity in his voice. "But." He began as his voice trailed off.
"You feel as if you are growing apart?" Leah offered, finishing Thomas's thought. Without making eye contact, Thomas nodded as he picked up his tea to take a drink.
"I see." Leah offered in a comforting tone. "You feel as if you are losing your connection with each other." She began. "Tell me, Thomas. Do you believe this is because you are in separate cities?" Leah asked in her professorial voice.
Thomas looked up from his tea with an increased curiosity based on the question. "We talk almost every day," Thomas said with confidence.
"Yet, you feel less connected?" Leah offered. "Why do you think that is?" Leah continued. Thomas sat motionless for several seconds as he contemplated the question.
After taking a bite of scone, Leah offered, "Thomas, there is a difference between talking and communicating. Connections are strengthened in the communication between people." Leah added, taking a sip of her tea. "Have you ever had a conversation where you're saying everything but feeling like you're saying nothing at all?" she asked, a hint of a smile playing at her lips.
Thomas nodded, recognizing the familiar feeling.
"Real connection," Leah continued, "isn't in our words. It's in the feeling we leave behind based on the tone and emotion of those words."
Thomas thought of his last call with Maya, the way her voice had softened when she talked about her day. He'd responded, but maybe he hadn't really heard her.
"Let's work on that note," Leah said as she placed her tea gently in the saucer and picked up her pen.
The Words
Fall filled the air with the brilliance of color and crisp, cool temperatures, making the campus brimming with energy. The century-old campus was a living story of past, present, and future. The Georgian architecture framed the campus in a Norman Rockwall-like picture lost on most of the students as they rambled across campus, evading the small autonomous robots delivering takeout meals to students at all points of the sprawling city campus.
Leah was strolling through the quadrangle on her way to class when an energetic person approached, waving his hand.
"Professor!" exclaimed the young man.
Instantly, Leah began reviewing all the students in her mind to recall the name of the person quickly approaching. As one of the newest members of the faculty, Leah had a full teaching load. After over 20 years in the corporate marketplace, over half as CEO of a multi-national publicly traded company, it was time to move into a new season of life where she could share her wealth of knowledge with future generations. Admittedly, the idea of teaching was not a stretch given her longtime mentor, a professor she met when she was a first-time manager. Those moments together forever made a significant impact on her life. Now, it was her season to give back.
Leah's face broke into a broad smile within moments, realizing the young man was not a student but Thomas from the café. "Hello, Thomas." Leah began. "It's so nice to see you. What brings you to campus?"
A bit out of breath, Thomas began. "I was hoping to find you and thank you for your help with my note to Maya."
"And how is Maya?" Leah asked, still smiling.
"Amazing! She wanted me to tell you thank you." Thomas said, beaming with satisfaction. "But that is only partly of why I am here." He continued.
Leah's face expressed her curiosity as Thomas continued. "Maya suggested I ask your opinion about an issue I am having at work with my team." Thomas continued with a hint of eagerness in his voice.
"Well, you must walk with me to tell me more about your team," Leah said as she motioned Thomas toward her next class.
Thomas's...
