A Good Cup of Coffee Has Perks

My husband was a little offended when I told him to stay in bed on Sunday morning so I could have a quiet cup of coffee by myself. We have a crazy week ahead which means I’ll be running in 50 million directions. If I can get one peaceful moment to sit and reflect over a good cup of coffee, I will take advantage of it. It's good for my soul.

My husband doesn’t drink coffee, so he doesn’t get my attachment to it. He thinks it’s unhealthy. Would I be healthier if I didn’t drink it? Maybe...maybe not.

I have learned that there are numerous benefits to the ritual that so many of us look forward to each morning.

CBS News recently ran a piece touting the advantages of a daily jolt of java. Research shows that it can help with depression and may lower the risk of diabetes. Women’s Health magazine says that coffee is “the top source of age-avenging antioxidants in the American diet,” adding that it has the “same benefits as dark chocolate and wine.” That’s all this coffee drinker needs to hear.

The Women’s Health article went on to say that coffee may help prevent mental decline, certain cancers, Parkinson's disease in men, diabetes, high blood pressure, and extra weight. Again, these are some more attributes of the coffee bean which will keep me caffeinated.

Coffee is a social thing for me too. I love meeting friends for coffee—again, that's something that's good for my soul. We stop for coffee, meet for coffee and bond over coffee. We go to coffee bars, coffee houses and coffee shops.

It is a culinary delight too. We have coffee ice cream, coffee candy and coffee cakes. People use coffee to cook with in chili and other dishes.

Coffee smells good. It lifts my spirits when I smell it; it reminds me of Christmas morning. Obviously, others like the smell too as coffee smelling candles and lotions are quite trendy.

There is a metaphorical story that I’ve received by email several times called The Mayonnaise Jar and Two Cups of Coffee. It’s about a philosophy professor who fills a mayonnaise jar with golf balls, then pebbles, then sand. Have you read it?

He asks the students if the jar is full and they respond with a resounding “yes”.

He then pours two cups of coffee into the jar which fills in all the extra space.

The professor proceeds to explain the metaphor. The jar represents your life. The golf balls are the most important things in your life such as family, friends, and hobbies. The pebbles are things that you must attend to such as your job or your home. The sand that fills in around the golf balls and pebbles represents all the trivial stuff.

If the sand goes in the jar first, there won’t be room for the golf balls and the pebbles.

Hence, wasting space on the small stuff won’t leave enough room for what really matters in life.  

A student finally asks the professor about the two cups of coffee and he tells them that no matter what is going on in life, no matter how full your life (or jar) is, there’s always time and room for friends and coffee.

Don’t know who the author is of The Mayonnaise Jar and Two Cups of Coffee but I think it has a meaningful message.

Hope you are enjoying your morning coffee while reading. If not, go meet a friend for some chatting and a good cup of coffee.

Happy Monday!