The Last Sip of Coffee

18 Jun

It takes me at least one hour, and at most two, to finish my coffee. So, my apologies to those who finish it quite quickly because I am not sure what’s the joy of gulping down a drink if you can’t enjoy every sip of it. With this statement, I guess, I am writing my first controversial blog. The world is divided into those who drink their coffee or tea fast, and those who don’t. I agree, maybe finishing coffee in two hours is a bit odd, however, I don’t mind it being cold, because the coffee flavour is even more prominent as the heat dissipates. With this controversial start, let’s come to the main topic of today’s blog.

Coffee Therapy

For me, making coffee is a very therapeutic process. Every morning at around 9 o’clock, the coffee alarm goes off in my head.

Unless there’s an office meeting, I get up and weigh 18 grams of coffee beans which are selected meticulously from a freshly roasted batch in a roastery nearby. Even entering that coffee shop feels like a holy experience. Coming back to my routine, I then boil the water to about 85 or 90 degrees centigrade, grind the coffee and brew it to my liking. From bean to cup, the experience is quite a ritual, and any interference is not much appreciated. I sound like a snob, but basically, it’s “me time”. Making my pour-over takes me into this Zen mode where everything momentarily calms down. The fresh smell of ground coffee and water dripping through the Chemex are treats of the day.

My story however today is about sipping the coffee and enjoying the taste. I am talking about the last sip… I am not sure why it’s the best one. I remember telling my colleague at work every day, “You know Zulayga, the last sip is always the best”. She used to smile and nod her head. I am still unsure if she agreed or just thought, “I can’t wait to move my desk away from this man”.

My conclusions are that the last sip is precious because I enjoyed that cup of coffee, appreciated the flavours and admired the process of making it. Brewing coffee is like embarking on a journey and relishing every moment of it. I value the last sip because it makes me realise how blessed I am to be able to afford all of this and that not everything of beauty lasts forever. The anticipation of the next cup of coffee and a similar experience makes everything so unique.

I leave it up to you, your imagination and your philosophical approach towards life, based on your experiences, to draw an analogy of coffee making and sipping through it, whether fast or slowly, to how you see life. I hope and pray that you be blessed and have wonderful experiences wherever you are.

Regards

Muji