I think we are all familiar with The Sound of Music, right? I mean, who isn’t? It’s a movie that I grew up watching numerous times, and one I never grow tired of. I remember my sisters and I would watch it in the car on long family road trips. Those were the days! I am a huge fan of musicals, and this particular one never disappoints. One of my favorite songs in The Sound of Music is, “My Favorite Things”. I’ve actually made up my own list of favorite things, and thought I would be fun to write about a few of them today.
Not only am I a fan of musicals, but something that most everyone knows about me, is that I am a huge coffee lover. I’m being completely serious when I say I started drinking coffee when I was about three years old. Well, I was really sneaking it, meaning I was taking sips of the cups of coffee that my parents would leave on the dining room table or kitchen counter. Coffee is what helped me through my days of college, the days that followed after having my now three-year-old son, and all of the days in between. It’s my go-to.
I leave for work around 6:20-6:30 every morning. Those who know me, know that I am the furthest thing from a morning person…especially if I haven’t had my morning coffee yet. Just ask my husband, Jeremy! Lol. Usually, my first thought in the morning is, Where is the coffee? It’s terrible, I know, but without coffee, I am basically a zombie.
If I have the time, I will go into the kitchen, clean out the coffee pot, grind some fresh coffee and let it brew; until finally pouring myself a cup of the steaming hot goodness to drink on my drive to work. Half of the time though, I wake up about five minutes until I need to head out the door. I quickly throw on a dress and shoes, brush the knots out of my hair, grab my keys, and go; thus leaving no time to make coffee.
One of my greatest pleasures though (and treat on occasion), is stopping by my nearest QuikTrip, McDonald’s, or Starbucks on my hour commute to work. Do you know what I love about all of these places? It’s not only the delicious coffee, but it’s also the people. Whether I stop at the drive-thru, or walk inside, they are always so welcoming, smiley, and cheery! At least the ones I go to anyway. I’m not sure if it’s the same where you get your morning coffee, but I hope it is! It really puts me in a better mood, you know? It helps me to forget that I have a long day of work ahead of me, and instead brings me a feeling of positivity. “Today is going to be a good day!”, I think to myself, as they hand me my coffee.
People who work in coffee shops so early in the morning have got to have some kind of unique and special super power. I am convinced they are all magical unicorns. I know I couldn’t do it! Maybe they all just drink their coffee straight from the coffee pot, or better yet, they probably just eat the coffee beans straight out of the bag. I don’t know, but whatever it is, they’re awesome.
For me, that first sip of coffee in the morning is like a tiny glimpse of Heaven washing over my taste buds. I always have my coffee the same way, whether it’s hot or iced: Colombian roast with 2% milk, a splash or two of hazelnut, and two or three packets of sugar, depending on how sweet I want it that particular day. I used to drink coffee black, but for me, it just didn’t have enough life to it! What’s life or coffee without sugar or sweetness added to it? Completely and utterly boring.
Of course I have my coffee sitting next to me as I type this. I have found that it is usually while I am drinking coffee that I come up with my best thoughts and ideas. I call it, brain juice. It gets me going, and overall boosts my mood. It’s one of those “little things” in life that I simply love and enjoy, and refuse to live without.
If any of you watch Stranger Things, one of my favorite quotes that Chief Hopper says in the first episode of season one is, “Mornings are for coffee and contemplation.” I couldn’t agree more. One of my favorite things to do in the morning is to drink my coffee and simply think. I think about all of the things I need to get done that day, and make a check-list in my head, I reflect on what happened the previous day, what I learned from it, and how I will make the current day better than the day before. There’s always room for improvement; always something you can do better than yesterday.
Another thing I love about coffee is, it seems to bring people together! A lot of times, coffee is the kick-start of those life-long relationships. I walk into coffee shops, and I often see couples on coffee dates, I see Bible studies, college students studying on their laptops, and just groups of friends sitting and enjoying each other’s company.
If I had the time and money, I would probably open up my own boutique coffee shop. I’m not sure what I would call it, but inside, I would have several different genres of books that people could read, I would have a cute seating area with comfy chairs and pillows, inspirational quotes and Bible verses on the walls, and I would have soft music playing in the background. Who knows? Maybe one day I will open up a coffee shop. Lord knows I would love it!
What are some of your favorite things? Tell me about them in the comments below, I would love to read them! If you’re a coffee lover, tell me about your favorite coffee or your favorite coffee shop. Let’s get to know each other!
“A cup of gourmet coffee shared with a friend is happiness tasted and time well spent.”
-Unknown Author
Copyright © 2019 Angela J. Stout.
This Is My Story 