A Warm Chair, A Quiet Book, and a Sweet Café Cat

Hi everyone! This is my first time posting in the Lifestyle Community, and I feel genuinely excited. I wanted to share a small moment from yesterday that made my heart soft in the best way.

Right now I’m not working, so I’m trying to spend more time with myself—slow time, real time. I’ve learned that simple things can be very healing: going out alone, sitting somewhere cozy, reading a book, and drinking a coffee without rushing. I try not to skip these little rituals because they help me feel calm and grounded.

Yesterday afternoon, I went to a café near my home. It was already getting dark outside, the kind of evening where the streets look shiny under the lights and the air feels colder than you expect. When I arrived, I noticed something lucky: the outdoor area was almost empty. No noise, no crowd, no pressure. Just chairs, soft lighting, and that peaceful café atmosphere. I chose a seat outside because I had a plan.

I wanted to read my English book out loud.

I’m working on improving my English, especially my pronunciation. I also want to strengthen my voice in general. I took a diction course before, and now I’m taking dubbing (voice-over) training, so my voice matters more than ever. Reading silently is good, but reading out loud is different. You hear yourself, you notice your mistakes, you feel the rhythm of the language. Sometimes it feels a bit strange to read out loud in public, but because the outside area was empty, I felt comfortable. It was like having my own small stage.

I ordered my coffee, opened my book, and started reading. Slowly, clearly, trying to pronounce each sentence the right way. Some parts were easy, some parts were hard. English can be tricky when you’re tired, and I was reading at night, so my brain was not at “full power.” Still, I kept going. I told myself, “Even one page is progress.”

And then… the café cat arrived.

At first, the cat didn’t come to me directly. It was walking around like it owned the place (which, honestly, it probably does). It visited another table, looked around, and even stared at the wall decorations like a little art critic. I kept reading, but I smiled every time I saw it move. There was something funny and sweet about how curious it was.

Because I was the only person sitting outside, the café owner kindly turned on the heater for me. The warm air was hitting my table, and I could feel my hands relaxing again. A few minutes later, the cat noticed the warmth too. Step by step, very calmly, it came closer. It didn’t rush. It didn’t beg. It just followed the logic of comfort.

The chair across from me was empty, and the warm air was reaching that spot perfectly. The cat climbed up, turned around once, and then settled down like it had planned this all day. After a few minutes, it started to sleep. A real, peaceful sleep—eyes closed, body relaxed, completely safe.

So there we were: me reading an English book out loud, and a cat sleeping on the chair in front of me, enjoying the heater like a tiny guest. I kept reading for about an hour. I managed around 15 pages, which felt like a win because reading out loud in a foreign language takes more energy than people think. The whole time, the cat stayed there, sleeping quietly, as if it was listening to my voice and approving my effort.

When I finally decided to leave, I stood up slowly. The cat woke up, stretched a little, and looked at me like, “Are you done already?” I smiled, said goodbye in my mind, and took my things.

Then the funniest part happened.

The moment I left my seat, the cat moved immediately—no hesitation—and went straight to my chair. My chair was closer to the glass, warmer in a different way, and maybe it felt even safer. It sat there proudly, like it had been waiting for an upgrade.

I walked away smiling, feeling lighter than before. It was such a small moment, but it felt special. A quiet night, a warm heater, a book, and a sweet cat who simply wanted comfort—just like me.

Thanks for reading. I’m happy to be here.