Enjoy the Coffee

photo courtesy of Gordana Adamovic Mladenovic from flickr.

What making coffee taught me about life, one day when I wasn’t paying attention.

This morning I made a pot of coffee and went to work out while it brewed. When I returned, I poured myself a steaming cup of – hot water! I forgot to put ground coffee in the filter. I looked into my sad cup of yellow water (yuck!) and sighed. I forgot the main ingredient.

So, I set out to make a fresh pot, but this time I resolved to make coffee with my complete attention.

I reached for the brown paper cone filters in the cupboard and slipped out a filter. I folded the edges, opened the cone, and tucked it into the brewing basket. I took off the ceramic lid with the laughing monkey perched on top that contains the coffee. Careful not to spill it, I scooped 5 heaping spoons of aromatic coffee into the filter, and then replaced the still-laughing monkey.

I opened the refrigerator, took out the glass carafe of filtered water.  I poured water in the machine, but there wasn’t enough, so I refilled it and continued pouring up to the 10-cup line. I slid the pot into the machine and turned it on.

How often, I wondered as I waited for the coffee to brew, do I forget the main ingredient for other things in my life? How many times do I race through my day, barely aware of what I’m doing; thinking of other things, making mistakes, running late, or hurting myself?

When I forget the main ingredient, like ground coffee, I get something I wasn’t expecting.  When I make coffee to make coffee, however, I will receive a hot, delicious cup of coffee to drink. I think that’s the way to live life: enjoy it one moment at a time. I know it’s harder to do than say, but just for today I will enjoy the coffee.

I hope you enjoy the coffee, too.