I heard a conversation the other day about the third place. Apparently we all have a third place.
Sure we go home, and to work (the first two ‘places’) but there’s apparently another place in our lives that’s just as important, just as special, because to us, it really does feel like a second home (but hopefully not a second work).
For me, that place is the Falcon (pictured).
It’s the place I go to relax, unwind, read books and kind of not talk to anyone which is pretty much my idea of a dream.
But why?
Personally, I love the idea of having a place that’s not my home, or my work, but somewhere that feels like mine. I have a regular seat, a regular day that I go, and a regular order I stick to. It’s part of my routine, and for this, I’m so grateful.
Take a moment to think about where your third place is. Where is it that you go to escape the day-to-day?
Is it your favourite cafe? Your therapist’s office? Your friend’s house? Your gym? Where is it that you feel comfortable enough and familiar enough to feel included in the little microcosm of community?
Why is a third place important you ask?
Because as the world gets faster and darker we’re all looking for ways to connect and retain the intimacy which keeps us human. And if having a third place is the way to do it, then why the bloody hell not?
Maybe you don’t actually know you have a third place. Maybe you’ve just been walking around living your life, wandering in and out of the same car week in and week out, engaging with the same community, letting it make a home in the middle of your chest, without ever realising how important it’s become to you.
If the Falcon shut down tomorrow honestly, I’d be gutted. I’d feel like a little part of me was missing and almost as though I was lost in a little part of a weird void. What would I do on a Wednesday evening? Probably nothing. And that’s the long and the sad short of it.
With a new decade now well and truly upon us, why not figure out how you can stay connected to the world you love, and the community you’re hoping to be a part of. New year new you after all!
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