Coffee Healing

SEP 13 - It’s Sunday morning, nearly noon. I can’t think of a time where I’ve consistently sat, at home, and finished my coffee before it went cold. If you’ve lived with me, you’ve probably found my coffee in the microwave at 2pm. I would’ve put it there at 11am, in the hopes of taking a second try at enjoying it, only to forget it completely as I buzzed onward to my next this-or-that. A lovely brew, forgotten, and cold.

But yesterday I woke up, and ground beans in my fabulous little hand grinder. I steeped them in my purple AeroPress. Then I sat, with my chocolate toast, a glass of water, and my coffee. And I ate my toast, read my magazine, and finished my coffee before it was cold. I held the warm cup between my hands, and was barefoot in the grass. Fall is here, so I wore my new, soft sweatshirt outside. Anya lay in the grass to watch me savor every sip.

Today I woke up. I made my morning water-vitamins (if you know me, you know what this is). I ground new coffee beans from Arbuste Torrefactor in my fabulous little hand grinder. I steeped them in my purple AeroPress. Then I sat, with my chocolate toast, a glass of water, and my coffee. And I ate my toast, and read my Bible, and I’m still drinking my coffee, and it’s still warm. I hold the warm cup between my hands, and my bare feet rest on the hard wood floors. Fall is here, so today I sit inside near the door to the yard. Anya lay in the grass just outside, and watches me savor every sip.

How busy, or scattered, was my mind that I can’t think of a time where I sat, at home, long enough and still enough to finish my coffee before it went cold?

I am healing - not all at once, not linearly (we never do much linearly as humans, do we?). But small moments like this show me that things within me are shifting. Maybe I am finally learning the third thing I came to France to learn: not just to bake bread, not just to speak French, but also, how to “live slowly.” I eat figs in the garden. I enjoy a coffee and pastry every Friday after work. And on my mornings off, I sit and drink coffee before it goes cold. Even more shocking - not only one cup. I’ll likely stand up any moment, and grind beans in my fabulous little hand grinder. I will steep them in my purple AeroPress. Then I will sit, and read, and I will finish that coffee, too, before it goes cold.