I’m drawn to the concept of “the third place,” a term identified by urban sociologist Ray Oldenburg, who, according to Project for Public Spaces, described the third place as “the public places on neutral ground where people can gather and interact. In contrast to first places (home) and second places (work), third places allow people to put aside their concerns and simply enjoy the company and conversation around them.” Oldenburg posits that third places “host the regular, voluntary, informal, and happily anticipated gatherings of individuals beyond the realms of home and work.”
In an article in The Timberjay, Leah Rogne spoke about this concept when describing the closing of the town’s beloved Montana Café. I wasn’t a regular at the café, but I did stop there for breakfast nearly every October for 10 years. During my visits, it was clear that this was, for many, their third place. Rogne described the café as as “a place where others know you when you come in, a place where people look forward to seeing familiar faces and sharing daily happenings with one another. A place where if you don’t show up for a while, people wonder if you’re OK.”
Sometimes our third place might be a place where we aren’t interacting with people. A friend says her third place is along a neighborhood pathway where there may be familiar faces but she is essentially on her own and her mind is free to wander. I’ve heard from other friends that their third place is a yoga studio, a church, or a coffee shop.
What is your third place? What keeps you returning?
Mary
I never heard of this “third place”, but after reading today’s post, I absolutely have my “third place”. Yes, this is my very own happy place. It is when I am outside, on a run, walk or bike ride. It does not matter if it is raining or sunny. What keeps me returning? I know how beneficial this “third place” is to my mental well-being that I try hard to go to this “place” daily. It is a “me” place, that is critical for the other 23 hours of my day.