On the one hand, it is easy to think of our lives compared to that of a relatively affluent Roman of 2000 years ago. Same brain, same body, same thoughts and a fair amount of various comforts.
On the other hand – no nothing at all like. No plumbing, electricity, medicine, books (only rare hand copied scrolls) and lousy food. No sane person would make the trade. High on the list of things I would miss would be my morning cup of coffee.
It has been wonderful during my adult life to begin each morning sipping a cup of steaming coffee. Nothing fancy, often instant. Taking the half hour or so as caffeine kicks in and my mind regains focus. A personal ritual as sacred and meaningful to me as any Eastern tea ceremony.
The fact that coffee has been plentifully global for centuries, and continues to be relatively inexpensive, always astounds me. I take it for granted. Sometimes, as I begin, I do try to imagine it as a metaphor for our very complex modern trade system, and how fragile all the things we accept as normal really are.
Finally, for all of that, to be able to concentrate on this precious instant between sleep and wake _ the other side of what many usually worry about. Ignore the possible futures good or bad and simply celebrate who and where I am.
A lot to ask from a simple cup of black liquid. Yet it always delivers.
HuntingtonHarborThoughts 