Sludge
I knew right as I started to pour, something was off. The coffee sludged out of the press in my mug. Strange, I must have used too much. I like really dark coffee and it’s not uncommon for me to overdo it.
Still hopeful, I grabbed my new white chocolate creamer and mixed it in with a butter knife.
First sip thoughts: Woah, there are grounds in there. What did I do wrong?
It was only then that I realized I didn’t PRESS the coffee press.
Could I redeem the coffee? Was there some way I could pour it back in the carafe and press it again?
Nope. Not without ruining the perfectly good part of the batch that was ready to be pressed and savored.
From my mug, inaugural creamer and all, I poured that fresh (okay not so fresh) cup down the drain and simply accepted the loss. Or so I thought.
Moments later, I sat quietly with my cozy mug and a familiar voice slipped in. “Rebekah, see. You do this a lot. You try so hard at life and somehow, you mess up the simplest things.”
Like with an internet bully, I took pause and didn’t respond right away. Instead, I took a deep breath and a long sip of my PRESSED coffee.
Often, I can give deprecating whispers more fuel. That day, instead, I let the warmth of the beverage fill me up. To that voice that wanted me to dwell on the mistake, I calmly rebutted, “Rebekah, you ARE doing a lot. Things happen. You are dear.”
This time of year, the blahs start to seep in. With the holiday momentum over, the cold exists without any happy lights or hope of presents. Possibly, our resolutions had a bumpy start; they may feel a bit sludgy.
So much remains outside our control. Yes, progress is happening, and I personally have hope. However, I think it’s okay to acknowledge that 2021, even more than most years, underwhelms in the calendar magic category. I know this certainly feels true for my Texas friends who slogged through the winter disaster without power and water this month. One dear friend lost a family member to the cold. It’s simply been awful. With all of this, the weight of this COVID-19 season can feel like a proverbial nineteen plus pounds gained on our spirits.
As the “new year” can seem like it’s pouring out into a plop— what pieces can be poured down the drain so you may focus on the goodness waiting, ready to be savored? I encourage starting small, as the big pieces are maybe too much for our personal plumbing.
Along the way, feel free to use my words: “You ARE doing a lot. Things happen. You are dear.”
Remember,
Your Brave Tutu (You’re brave, too-too!)
-Take courage in delight. Discover power in small moments.
If you enjoyed this piece, you might like Second Start Courage. This isn’t my first piece about a coffee press *smile* the other one is a bit more serious. Check out Glass.
Also, if you want to feel good about yourself, my amazing marketing assistant and long term intern edited this piece and shared that she operated a Keurig recently...WITHOUT a coffee cup to catch the brew. We are all doing our best folks!