Extra Days Need Extra-Strong Coffee!

 


Somedays you need that cup of extra-strong coffee.

Because you realize that no matter how many routes of escape you keep in hand, it really catches up with you that life is hard.

You plan and organize, yet things will go out of hand.

You read inspiring books and listen to motivational podcasts, yet one small, negligible event can trigger the ever-simmering gloom in your mind.

You listen to spiritual discourses every day that keep reminding you to rise above the petty matters of life and think from a bigger context. Yet one criticizing remark is enough to remind you of everything that is going wrong with your life.

You meet and deal with a lot of people and assume that you know how to handle difficult ones, and yet when the time comes to stand up against toxic people, you cannot, because a part of your mind that has always been subdued by such people tells you (in their voice) that it is your fault like always.

You plan a to-do list and find that there will always be a lot of work to do – both in the list and off the list.

You think you finally have a handle on life, and it throws you off course and you find yourself adrift, knowing that you need to start over yet not having the strength or the will to do that.

Oh, will! Don’t even get me started on that. The things and people that keep on testing your will-power on a daily basis!  

And that’s when the extra cup of extra-strong coffee swoops in to save the day. You take in the aroma of freshly-brewed filter-coffee and feel it seep right into your mind, relaxing it instantly. You see the foam gather on top of the glass when you pour the coffee on it, and you know that you have prepared good coffee. You add that extra filter to it to give the right kind of kick that your mind needs today.

And you know that the awful day has just taken a turn to a ‘not-that-bad’ one. Then you take out your trusted laptop and with the coffee beside you, decide to give words to the thoughts wreaking havoc in your mind.

The day has progressed from ‘not-that-bad’ to ‘kind-of-okay’ now.

Giving words to your tumultuous mind brings in a lot of realizations that there will be many more such days ahead. Days that will make you question your worth, doubt every little progress you have made to stay sane and tempt you with the promise of many pointless addictions that will serve no purpose except to divert your mind for a little while (Netflix, Prime, Hotstar, the works…)

But you also get a reminder that there is the comfort of hot, strong – sorry, extra-strong coffee. There is the relieving release that your soul experiences when you give words to your struggle.

And lastly, there is the comforting realization to your conscience that by writing about it, you probably made someone feel less lonely, or made them realize that they aren’t alone in their struggles, or gave them hope. Or just gave them an idea to have a cup of coffee and forget their troubles for some time.

And once you finish writing (and your coffee), you feel a sense of gratitude. Because life is hard. But there are many things that make it bearable and beautiful, namely – solitude, coffee, books and a pen to give words to your thoughts.  Sometimes that’s all one can wish for.

Comments

  1. Latha PrakashAugust 27, 2024 at 12:56 AM

    This is absolutely relatable... Something I needed right to read. All we need sometimes is a cup of coffee ...
    I have heard people ask "what's the use of reading these books if u can't apply it in life"... Sometimes there's no answer... Minor things cause big turmoils.
    Loved ur write up. enjoy ur coffee and the rest of ur day...I'm sure it's going to be good

    ReplyDelete

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