Morning Coffee

When I was a little kid, there were two things that in my mind, defined a grown-up. These were, reading the newspaper, and drinking coffee.

I guess I haven't yet 'grown up', because as of now, I do neither. 

Newspapers confuse me, and I like to stick with the well known saying, ''ignorance is bliss.'' I know it's not true, but its easier than trying to figure out who is who, and what is really going on under our noses. So I don't bother.

And as for coffee, it usually just gives me a headache. And I don't believe that part about caffeine. I think its a 1% energy booster, and 99% psychological. My mind refuses to believe it works, so it never helps me.

The world at large drinks coffee. As a stimulater, energy booster, because it smells good, or because everyone else does it, more than two thirds of the worlds population depends on coffee to get them through the day. 400 billion cups of coffee are consumed a year. 

In a world thats constantly changing, this is one of the few things that will forever remain the same. That, and fast foods. So Starbucks and Mcdonalds have nothing to worry about in the way of economy.

People talk about change. Society expects it. They need it, they want it, they thrive on it. For hundreds of years nothing changed at all, and then boom, in ten years alone, we've got more inventions then we can keep up with. Name a gadget, and they've already made it, and are busy thinking up the next one. From bluetooth, to ipods, GPS, handheld computers, and I wouldn't be surprised to see flying cars somewhere on the horizon. With one click of a button, the world could be blown to pieces, brought to a state of nothingness, before it was ever created. And all thanks to some brilliant minds, and inventions, of our times.

And yet, throughout it all, there's a part of the human existence that is scared of change. It is very subtle. People try to hide it, because no one wants to feel like the odd man out,the spoilsport, the one thats so against change in an ever changing world. So they keep their fears to themselves. But what they don't know is, they are not alone. Every man is the odd one out in this sense. Change is frightening, it's a fact.

So they look for something to hold on to. Something familiar, and comforting, much like a child who clings to a ratty old blanket, or moth eaten teddy bear. 

This is where coffee comes in. It is a constant. Its stable. Its the 'home free' base that kids cling to, like a life preserver, amid the chaos and chase of people around them.

Whether or not the effect of caffeine really works, or is just plain psychological, is yet to be proven. But to those who drink it, it makes no difference. Even when their bodies have gotten used to it, and the jolt they once got now fails to take effect, they will continue to drink it. Because it is comforting, familiar.

I search for a constant in my life. I don't drink coffee, but even if I did, its not enough. I need something deeper, more substantial. Something that I don't have to worry about becoming extinct, or rationed. When the last of the coffee beans on this earth have been ground and brewed, where will I be?

And I have the answer. I have G-d, and the Torah way of life. I have all the commandments He as commanded me, I have Shabbat and the holidays, the laws of modesty, and Kashrut. All the little things we do from day to day, that reminds me who I am, who created me, and what my purpose here in this world is.

This is my constant, my life boat amongst the swirling and churning waters which is the world. Fashion trends will pass, celebrities will come and go, and the flavors of coffee in Starbucks will change from day to day.

But the Torah will stay the same. It is eternal. We, as Jews, the Chosen nation, will exist forever, long after global warming has turned this earth into one big heat wave, and fashion trends from the 70's have been recycled five times over.

I walk by Starbucks, and smile to myself. I love going in there, because the smell of coffee is addicting, even if I can't stand the taste. And they do have comfortable chairs, and a cozy atmosphere. I watch the line of customers stretch on and on, and never seem to empty, only recycle itself from time to time. The workers in their uniforms scurry around, ever efficient, to fill people's orders, earning points for good customer service. The life of coffee will go on.

I watch all this through the window, as the snow falls softly around me. I am a stranger to this world, the world of coffee. I am an outsider. 

But I am a part of a much more vibrant world, one alive with joy, and rich with fulfillment. It is a world of many colors, and customs, many people, many commandments. But one G-d, one Torah, One nation.

This is the world that I am privileged to be a part of, and it is this world that will go on forever.