Earlier this year I bought a Tesla, which came with 6 free months of supercharging. This was amazing, as I didn’t have to worry about where to charge my Tesla, or additional fees. But in the past two weeks, this ended. Although I can have paid for my charging, part of the search is finding free spots to charge up the Tesla. There are 5 chargers in the local outdoor shopping mall called The Collection, but it’s competitive to get a slot and when you do, the charge is slow and time is limited. But I’ve reframed this.
This weekend I went to the Collection with my dog Bella, we grabbed a coffee, sat in the sun, walked in a little park, and I was able to spend time reading and writing. Bella was able to spend her time people watching and napping in the sun. This is our collective backyard. My home has a shared yard, but it’s not for lounging spaces. Yes, there are children who run around with water guns, but there’s nowhere to sit and read comfortably. And while Bella and I are recharging my Tesla, we’ve found a space to lounge in the sun and shade.
This is technically an outdoor mall, complete with shops and obligatory food court, but also a comedy venue, escape room, bowling alley, movie theater, and pottery center. There’s a little water fountain and pools that house little turtles, a playground, at time mini concerts are performed.
While living in Paris, I heard part of the reason the parks and cafes are full all year round is they function as Third Spaces. Third Spaces are not our homes or work places, but an additional location where community can build. In Paris, the apartments are quite small, unless you are lucky, it’s tough to have a gathering in your home. They can occur in Third Spaces which can be bars, coffee shops, parks, yoga studios, or communal bookstores.
My intention is different at the moment, I am awaiting my car to be charged and not to form community. But we also are being charged outside of the home, outside. I have nothing but space and time to write, read, and be present. And am grateful I have the luxury for this at the moment.
How do you slow down?
What places recharge you?
What would you do with an extra 2-3 hours of free time?
“Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you.” – Anne Lamott.
It Only Takes A Smile 