Cheers to you! Here’s hoping your day is filled to overflowing with good health, good news, good friends, and heaps and heaps of love.
What if I paid for the next person in line at my local coffee shop? If I were on the receiving end, I’d be grateful. I’d have a smile on my face and a story to tell about the man/woman who surprised me by picking up my coffee tab. Next time you’re at your local coffee shop, surprise someone by picking up their tab and giving them a great story to tell.
Each day I witness great degrees of loneliness. Loneliness is not relegated to the aged. It crosses all ages, races, and gender. I witness people more engaged on smart phones than in person to person interactions. Interpersonal interactions are not always easy. They are the way we get to know each other. They are the way we communicate more openly and honestly. They require us to set time aside to listen and to respond meaningfully. There’s something special about sitting down for a meal without technology and communicating. There’s something special about a “cheap date” at a coffee shop and talking about life’s issues.
Drinking coffee is linked to many health benefits, such as less weight gain, lower average daily blood pressure, and a reduced risk for diabetes and cardiovascular disease. But which brewing method will help you get the most from your cup? A study published online April 22, 2020, by the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology found that filtering coffee (for example, with a paper filter) — not just boiling ground coffee beans and drinking the water — was better for health, particularly for older people. Researchers analyzed the survey responses of more than 500,000 healthy coffee drinkers (ages 20 to 79) who were followed for about 20 years. People younger than 60 who drank one to four cups of coffee, particularly filtered coffee, had lower rates of artery disease and death. The lower rate of death with filtered coffee drinkers persisted in people ages 60 or older, but was lost in people who drank five or more cups per day. The study is observational and doesn’t prove that filtered coffee is healthier than unfiltered coffee, but it makes sense. Unfiltered coffee contains diterpenes, compounds that can raise cholesterol, and researchers say a cup of unfiltered coffee contains 30 times more diterpenes than a cup of filtered coffee. So use that coffee filter, save the French press or Turkish unfiltered coffee for rare occasions, and consider limiting your coffee intake to less than five cups per day, on average.
What if I didn’t have my morning cup of coffee? Man, my day would be amiss. I take my morning cup of coffee for granted, much like I take the sun rising or setting. It’s that way with life. The things and people we love we often take for granted, as if they’d always be there. When we find out they’re not there our emotions range from disappointment to deep grieving. When I look at it this way, my heart has to overflow with gratitude for the things and people I love. It makes sense to appreciate the things and people I love each moment of my life.
We exercise to stay strong. We eat well to stay healthy. Is it time to exercise your imagination? Our imagination allows us to see things which we may not have thought possible. If, however, we can imagine it, we can create or discover it. I think I’ll grab a cup of coffee and imagine what tomorrow will look like for me if all things were possible.
I often take my morning cup of coffee for granted. Yet, if I discover I’m out of coffee my first thoughts are of making a run to my local coffee shop. My cup of coffee and the start of the day are best friends. I enjoy the coffee’s fragrance as the coffee machine is at work. I like looking at the deep rich dark color in my clear coffee cup. I savor the smoky, cocoa, woody taste of my coffee. It’s not just a breakfast drink. It awakens my taste buds, mind, and draws a smile on my face. Grateful for everyone who played any part in bringing coffee into my home. Here’s to you, Cheers!!
For me there’s only one way to begin day. I fill my cup with child-like excitement anticipating all the good things this day will bring to me. No hanging out in bed, times a wasting. I have places to go, people to see, and things to do. And, I’ll carry my coffee cup with me. Have a great day.
I’m at Starbucks. I like to work on my blog in my local coffee shop. The calendar may say fall, but it’s still summer in south Texas. Today’s high is again in the nineties. There’s lots of nice chatter going on in here. College students are collaborating. I’ve noticed a dating site get together – hope it works for them., Other folks are simply enjoying a time out. And, the smell of coffee fills the air. Anytime we can break away and grab a few moments to relax is a good time. Try to grab your moments every day.
Take time to let people cross in the parking lot.
Take time to call a loved one who hasn’t heard from you.
Take time to pray.
Take time to enjoy coffee or iced tea with a friend.
Take time to enjoy a meal and savor every bite.
Take time to look at the sunset.
Take time to be quiet and enjoy the silence.
