Coffee, Connection, and the Work That Matters Most

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The last two mornings have been a quiet gift.

Just sitting at Starbucks, laptops open, coffee warm, working side by side with my favorite person in the whole world—my wife Alison. No rush. No noise. Just presence, productivity, and the kind of connection that makes everything else feel lighter.

There’s something powerful about being deeply focused together. Not talking much. Not needing to. Simply sharing space, purpose, and momentum.

Bringing a Long Season of Curiosity to a Turning Point

These mornings have also marked an important transition in my research journey. I’ve officially wrapped up survey collection through SurveyMonkey for both the RDFS and the CBI-12 Examining Connection study.

If you’ve ever done this kind of work, you know the feeling—equal parts relief and anticipation. Months of wondering, refining, inviting participation, and trusting the process finally give way to data. Real voices. Real patterns. Real insight waiting to be understood.

I’ve also reached out to my co-researcher, Gina N., and we’re preparing to begin analysis. This next phase—the synthesis—is where curiosity becomes contribution.

From Connection to Contribution

What excites me most is what this work is becoming.

This research is shaping into what I believe will be an exceptional paper and presentation for Dubai Social Capital 2026, hosted at Heriot-Watt University this March.

That moment—standing in a global academic space, sharing insights about human connection, trust, and social capital—feels like a convergence of so many threads in my life: scholarship, leadership, lived experience, and values.

Connection isn’t just something we talk about.
It’s something we build, measure, and protect.

Returning to the Roots

And before that next chapter unfolds, I’m heading back to Tennessee—home in the deepest sense of the word. Time with my tribe. Space to rest. Conversations that don’t need context. Laughter that resets your nervous system.

Progress doesn’t only come from pushing forward. Sometimes it comes from going back—back to the people and places that remind you who you are.

Gratitude for This Moment

This season feels full in the best way.

Productive mornings with my partner.
Meaningful research reaching maturity.
Opportunities to share work globally.
And a return to community that grounds everything else.

If social capital is built through trust, presence, and shared experience, then this chapter is rich beyond measure.

Here’s to slowing down just enough to notice it—and moving forward with intention.

— The Social Capitalist

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