I love Coffee

Waking up at 4 AM and having coffee with my wife.....every day.

Answering the phone and hearing 'HI PAPA' .

And then talking to my beautiful granddaughter.

Listening to the birds, the rain, the wind.

Sitting silently on the back patio.

For those people that I come across today, and every day,

can I make a difference for them in some small way?

Looking forward to mowing my lawn this Spring.

Looking forward to barbeque's with family.

Taking Arthur for a walk.

Knowing someday that Arthur will take me for a walk.

and......lots of other joys......

Like drinking coffee. With sweetener, and creamer.

In big mugs, and little mugs. Most of the time hot.

At other times not so hot. It really doesn't matter. I'll drink it

and never complain. It gives me joy.

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Yes.....Coffee. It has really changed my life. Three years ago I never drank coffee. I didn't care for it...didn't like it...didn't think of it. My choice was from the liquor store, and that drink also changed my life. A little over 3 years ago I came home to a living room full of friends, business associates, brother, sister, son and daughter, son-in-law, and daughter-in-law, and my loving wife. They were all there for a reason. To save my life. And they did. I think about 20 people. An intervention.

I reflect back to December 9th, 2006 almost every day. It was that day that these people told me that they loved me, cared for me, and wanted to help me. And before that day on December 9th, I never, ever thought I needed help for anything. Was I ever wrong. I told myself that I could stop drinking anytime I chose to. Like most alcoholics, I did not realize that at this point in my drinking, there was no possible way I could stop drinking on my own, for even a day, or a week, or, forever. It is not possible. I needed help, but was not willing to get help on my own. Remember, I was a strong guy. I did not need help.

Then a true miracle happened to me. It was this. I sat at my desk on a Wednesday morning and prayed a simple prayer...'God, I need help'. I will never forget that prayer. That is all I said. And thinking back now, it is probably the only time I asked for help from anyone, let alone God. But it was an easy way out. No one could talk back to me. But God did answer my prayer. For it was 3 days later that all of those people gathered in my living room for me. And to think that my intervention was planned, by all of these people, well before I sat down, on that Wednesday morning, and asked for Gods help. It was a miracle. And, on that Wednesday morning, my desire to drink left me. I have not had a drink since.

So.....what does this have to do with coffee? It is this. All of the joys that I now have can be done with others, anywhere, anytime over a cup of coffee. And even if it is the worst cup of coffee, I will never complain. The worst cup of coffee gives me a reason to laugh. 3 years ago I had no laughter. God introduced me to really bad coffee, and gave me my laughter back. Thank you Lord.

Now my wife laughs at me with my coffee. I leave cups everywhere. Half full. Full of cream and sugar. Always a cup in the microwave that I warmed up, and then forgot about. I'll find a cup at my desk. How old is that coffee? Ah, who cares. Add some more and warm it up. My perpetual cup of coffee. Sorta fun. And, it fits me perfectly. No worries. Just happy.

Stay tuned. Oh, and by the way. I am now a full time employee at the treatment center that I was once in. Helping others.....it is the best job I have ever had.