Anyone who knows me, knows that I absolutely cannot function without my usual morning cup...or in some cases cup(s) of coffee. Some would say that I drink it in excessive amounts and my friends, family, boyfriend, and coworkers know exactly when I have not had a chance to drink my morning cup. But that was not always the case. As a kid, I never understood why adults relied so heavily on coffee. I grew up watching both of my parents drinking the usual morning cup, and in some cases when we would go on the annual family vacation the first stop was at a coffee shop. I always wondered why it was such a necessity in the morning. Was it some kind of magic liquid that brought them back to life in the morning? Did it make it easier to concentrate on the everyday tasks at hand? Since I went away to school, I soon began to realize why the morning cup of coffee is such a treat in the morning.

When my alarm would go off at six am on every Tuesday and Thursday morning for my eight a.m. class, which was one of the worst choices I have ever made to date, the first thing I reached for was my coffee maker. The smell was absolutely invigorating. Immediately the smell of my usual morning k-cup woke me up. That very first sip of freshly brewed coffee sent 'good vibes' throughout my body, and I felt ready to conquer the hour and fifteen minute lecture on the history of America.

This became a usual morning ritual. Alarm goes off, roll out of bed, stumble to the kitchen, and brew a cup. Now that I am home, working one full time job and another part time job coffee is even more essential now that it ever has been before. I now understand why my parents always had at least one cup in the morning, sometimes more. It gives you something to look forward to. It reminds me of home, a place I don't have the luxury of spending too much time at due to work and school. It has become a comfort item, like the adult version of my childhood 'yellow blankie'.

Drinking my usual morning cup of coffee allows me to forget about the day's task or in many cases task(s) at hand. I can forget about the specials going on at work, or what aisle still needs to be tagged, or what delivery is coming that day. For even just five minutes I can take that time to myself and enjoy something I love. I can relax, a concept that is such a foreign one during this time of year. Sometimes if I am really lucky, I can enjoy a cup of coffee in the morning with my mom and just talk, catch up, vent.

With that...Coffee, I love you.