I LOVE coffee and last Valentine’s Day, my dear sister gifted me with a coffee drip set which brought me so much joy!
I had been meaning to shift from my usual 3-in-1 coffee fixes to something pure so receiving the gift really made me happy. Included in the set was a manual grinder for the coffee beans. I was excited about this too since I had just watched (and loved) a Japanese film on Netflix where the main male protagonist ground his coffee beans for his coffee every morning!
I find manually grinding my coffee beans quite relaxing. Of course, on the onset, I’d be gritting my teeth, needing a bit more power to actually begin the process. I would feel my wrist ache from gripping the barrel of the grinder too tightly. Sometimes my rotation is off and so I fumble, too. Stressful, hahaha, but when I get the hang of it, I actually enjoy it! My breathing starts to relax and I am overcome with a sense of peace and joy that gives my mind clarity and calmness.
I do a lot of reflecting when I prepare my coffee this way. I have realized that my thinking processes tend to synch with the pace of the task. In many ways, it is like doing breathing exercises, which is a good thing! Somehow, it eases out unwanted distractions that add tension to my daily life. I like how it slows me down.
We all know how doubly challenging the past year has been. Things changed so much since 2019 that I still shake my head at the sight of people wearing masks and face shields in the street! Who would have thought that this would happen, right? No matter how many people say that the pandemic is a hoax and that it is a business maneuver to get the world to spend so much, the images of the faces of those I had to tell that they were infected will continue to be clear in my mind. And the friends that I have lost because of it, will never return. So much chaos created by something invisible to the naked eye!
We all need respite from these disturbing feelings. We all should find ways to ease the anguish and worries somewhat, don’t you agree? I found zen in grinding my coffee beans. Thank God!