Possible Futures: Where Human Connection Still Thrives

Let’s take a collective breath. Human connection is alive and well. One person’s dream can turn into a place where it thrives every day, together.

The Front Door

Walking into Possible Futures felt less like stepping into a bookstore and more like stepping back a couple of decades, and simultaneously into a vision of what the world can still be.

The first thing I noticed wasn’t the books — though they lined the shelves, beautifully displayed — it was the feeling. People everywhere. A hum of conversation. Laughter. A friendly black dog roaming the aisles, scarf around its neck, followed by a happy toddler.  Cozy corners welcomed small groups deep in discussion, or solitary folks curled into armchairs, lost in their books.

Kid’s Area

I discovered Possible Futures because they had graciously agreed to partner with me to sell my book Happier Made Simple at an upcoming library conference, and I was delivering two bags full of the paperbacks. 

I passed the outside brick walls painted with murals, opened the door, and felt it immediately.

Ah, I thought. I’m home.

Now, yes, I do love a good Barnes and Noble, too - and of course libraries are treasures beyond compare.

But there was something about this bookstore, nestled on a corner in a New Haven CT neighborhood.

The books, of course. The patrons, too, all so clearly at home there. Smiles genuine, talk flowing easily.  And the decor, the arrangements, the signs - all representative of the bookstore mission and the patrons’ enthusiasm..

Turns out, this was Independent Bookstore Day - so things were especially lively. Authors were there meeting readers; a calendar highlighted many events: Author talks, knitting circles, writing communities, even Comedy nights.

I kinda want to move next door. 

One Display

Some bookshelves especially caught my eye: a dedicated space for banned books, one for LGBTQ rights, one highlighting the healing power of love. It wasn’t just a display; it was a declaration of values. Here was a bookstore that stood proudly for freedom of thought, inclusivity, and the radical idea that love — in all its forms — still matters, still can guide us.

Not just a bookstore; a breathing, living embodiment of community.

Authors from every culture, background, and perspective filled the shelves — not as a curated “diversity” corner, but as the store’s very foundation. Every table display seemed to ask: What kind of future do you want to build? And even more importantly: Who do you want to build it with?

In a world that can often feel isolating and fractured, this space felt revolutionary in its simplicity: bring people together around ideas, stories, and dreams, and community will bloom.

From the Possible Futures Books Website

Possible Futures reinforces a truth we sometimes forget: when we gather around shared values — curiosity, compassion, justice, imagination — we create the conditions not just for personal growth, but for collective transformation.

In a world where so much energy is spent pulling us apart, places like this remind us how much stronger, wiser, and more joyful we are when we come together. Possible Futures (seriously, what a great name, right?) doesn’t just sell books — it nurtures hope. And after an hour there, I’m more convinced than ever that the future we dream of is possible, if only we dare to build it together.