Today I saw a capybara.
A real capybara in the wild! Well, kind of.
It was at a Garden and Home store in Costa Rica, something similar to the Garden section at a Home Depot or Lowes. Does that count as in the wild? It wasn’t the store’s pet, to my knowledge. And the store is on the side of a mountain, with a busy highway in front and a valley behind it. I’m counting it as “wild.”
I had gone to the store to visit my friend Glenda. She works there making coffee and serving food. Yes, there’s a cafe at the Garden and Home store. This is one of those parts of Costa Rican culture that I don’t understand, but I sure do love!
I walked in through a canopy of flowers, lining a perfect walkway with a bench underneath. No matter where I looked, all I could see was plants! Ceiling to floor ferns acted as walls, with monsterras, succulents, and walking paths in between them. It was mystical, fantastical; almost like Alice in Wonderland.
I took a few steps to admire the flowers, and suddenly there was a table! Walking further, another table–this one nestled under a palm tree–and a brick oven! At this point, I had to keep exploring before I sat down to have my afternoon snack.
I continued through the maze of flora to eventually find several more tables, a swing, a lounge area, and finally the kitchen and store.
And of course, Glenda.
It had been on my list to visit Glenda at work on a previous visit to San Ramón. But this garden cafe is on the far edge of town, so it’s not somewhere I could easily walk to. I was determined to make it this time, with the help of Uber.
We greeted each other with a smile, grateful the time had finally come!
There’s a pride in sharing your work with others, whether it’s something you create or someplace you contribute to. I’ve always loved visiting family and friends at their place of work. For the amount of time we spend working, it’s nice to have context for what makes up so much of our lives.
For example, I remember as a kid going to the Kewanee Armory where my dad worked in the National Guard. I would sit in his office and use his typewriter, hole punch, and other office supplies. These government-issued tools were heavy and fun to play with. The click-clack of the typewriter felt powerful, like my words carried more meaning coming from that machine! And the hole punch could basically burst through a full ream of paper! I guess we can thank the government for my writing career?
I remember on my breaks home from college dropping into my mom’s office, a cardiovascular medicine clinic (no HIPPA violations, I promise). Saying hi to her co-workers and seeing how much they loved and respected my mom. She was always the go-to for their questions–about work and life.
The past several jobs I’ve had are ones that family and friends can come visit me at, too. As a pastor I loved sharing my church with others. As a restaurant manager, I loved sharing our food, service, and ambiance. As a writer, I love sharing my words with you. With my work in Costa Rica, I love bringing people along to experience the country and community center I serve with.
You can learn a lot about a person by observing them at work.
In Glenda’s case, what I had already learned about her was simply reinforced. She is caring and loving, which I’ve seen in her community but now witnessed as she carefully served coffee. She is very creative, playing music in church and now presenting empanadas beautifully on a plate with banana leaves.
I finished my coffee and prepared to leave, nourished by both food and friendship.
That’s when I saw it–the capybara. At least, that’s what I thought it was. Upon further research though, capybaras are not native to Costa Rica. There are some in the country, but in the “wild” of this Garden and Home store, I probably saw an agouti. It’s like a smaller capybara with slender legs.
Nevertheless, it was cool to see. I sat on a nearby bench and watched it forage while I waited for my return Uber.
Seeing the world at work around you–and not having any control or influence in it–is really beautiful. The agouti moves naturally through the bushes, eating fruit and spreading seeds. It doesn’t ask permission; it just moves. It doesn’t sit in a meeting to decide what color of plants to eat today; it just eats. Plants and animals do what they were made to do without anxiety or comparison. That’s a blog for another time.
Today I saw an agouti, unashamedly and unapologetically doing what God made it to do.
Today I saw my friend Glenda, proudly serving others with her God-given gifts of creativity and hospitality.
Today I was in awe, at the beauty of the created world around me–plants, animals, and people–all a gift of God.