Among my friends, I am known as a caffeine addict. I love everything coffee whether it's ice cream, cake, or the drink itself, especially the drink itself. I was sitting alone in a Starbucks one day, sipping on my regular, when a thought crossed my mind: why do I like coffee so much?

In my moment of silence, I thought back to the first place I truly fell in love with coffee; a coffee shop called Tim Hortons in Vancouver, Canada. My aunt was the one who introduced me to Timmy's and ordered me that ineffable life-changing drink.

I was hooked.

That summer in Vancouver consisted of frequent trips to Tim Hortons with my aunt. Every day I asked her the same question: "Can we get coffee at Tim Horton's?" and it just became the norm. No matter what mood she was in, my aunt never failed to get up, put on a jacket, a little bit of lipstick for the heck of it and take me to Timmy's.

She smiled at me when I drank too fast and got a brain freeze and laughed when we made noises through our straws. We even drank with pinkies up because we were that cool. Coffee became more than just a drink, it became our thing. It was our special moment with each other, even if it was just for ten minutes every day. Sometimes I didn't even have to ask her. We just exchanged glances, subtly nod, and I knew it meant coffee time.

On the last coffee time of that summer, she asked me, "Are you happy with everything my love?" and I simply said, "Of course! Coffee time is my favorite memory with you. I'll never forget it."

The winter of that year, my aunt passed away.

She had been battling depression for years and I only knew of the last two. Yet, she never actually was battling depression, and that was the most beautiful thing about her. She radiated happiness, savored every moment, and of course, found coffee time sacred.

So, I believe in coffee and it is just that simple. Coffee to me is comfort, warmth, and happiness. There are moments when I take everything too seriously and I've learned to just say "screw it" and go get some coffee. I believe that coffee can be the one thing that sounds right when everything else feels wrong. Coffee time is for me to remember my aunt and reminisce on the good memories. In every sip or slurp, I find something new to smile about.

Life has beauty, and we often forget about the things that make it beautiful. My aunt saw that beauty in everything she did. She saw beauty in life while dealing with something as tormenting as depression. I lose myself when I don't get the right grade on a test or the solo in choir. However, drinking coffee has taught me to savor my life, even if I feel defeated. Sure I still fail to overcome challenges, but I think back to how my aunt faced the challenge of depression, the challenge of taking so many pills, and the challenge of getting out of bed every day. She solved them with coffee and enjoyed the little ten minutes we spent drinking it together.

So next time life deals out one of its slaps in the face, order a coffee, make it a medium, add a little cream, and sip happily because life isn't that serious. And I drink to that!