I roll into the café. The energy is loud with lots of hustle and enthusiasm. I notice a girl sitting in the corner, not making eye contact and very distant, as if she’s on another planet.  

I pull up next to her. She feels distant and unengaged, but as soon as she notices me, she speaks up.  

“So, did we make it?”  

I take a deep breath and beam happily. “Yes, we did. Truly.”  

The relief washes over the young woman’s face as if all her anxiety and fears were gone.  

“Well, tell me everything,” she whispers.  

“Before we start, I brought you something,” I say.  

I pull out a homemade pie that I had made earlier.  

“Um, what is this?” The young girl inspects the pie like she’s Gordon Ramsay on the latest cooking show.  

“It’s a pie, silly!” I say, at this point laughing hysterically at her reaction.  

“You bake now?” the girl asks curiously.  

“Yeah! It’s the same way we feel about writing—it’s like when I’m baking, the rest of the world turns off, and nothing else matters.”  

The young lady next to me starts laughing.  

Then, not even having her clarify why she was laughing, I quickly speak up.  

“Okay, I didn’t say I was a good baker, okay?! I just like to bake!”  

“Well, guess we’ll find out!” the girl smiles.  

“Can I ask you a question?” she speaks up. “Are we still living in the Ohio Valley?”  

“Not anymore, kid. I moved in December 2024.”  

“Do you have your own place?” my friend replies.  

“Yes, it’s absolutely stunning, and I’m in the process of making it a home and decorating it with all the beautiful pastel colors that you’ve always said make a room light up!”  

“I bet it’s perfect,” the little girl smiles.  

The young lady looks down at the floor again. “Hey, where’s your dog?” she asks with a worrisome look.  

I clear my throat, trying not to break eye contact with the young one, but my emotions get the best of me, and I get a little misty-eyed. “Hon, my first service dog Jackson passed at this point, but he was with us till his last breath and served us faithfully. I tried my best to match with another dog, but unfortunately, it did not work out.”  

“So, you don’t have a dog right now?”  

“Nope. I don’t want to rush things, but hopefully in the future!”  

“Are you working? What did you decide to do?”  

“I’m working full-time as a social worker, helping other people with developmental disabilities by advocating for them and helping them to live their best lives!”  

Advocating is one of our biggest strengths, both personally and professionally. It won’t always be easy, but it’s always worth it!  

“Keep elevating your voice—always—even if it feels hard to do!”  

I look down quickly at my phone and notice the time. “Oh darn it, kid! I really gotta go!”  

“Kelsi, can I tell you one last thing?”  

“What is it, kid?” I ask.  

“I’m really proud of you,” the young girl says as we embrace and say goodbye.  

I’m really glad I got the chance to meet with my younger self that day in the coffee shop.