Why I Drink Iced Coffee

Last week, on a warm winter morning at 5:30 a.m., I walked into one of dozens of local Starbucks for an early morning pick-me-up.  I’m not a daily visitor by any stretch of the imagination, but I do frequent this one particular location enough that the women who work the opening shift know who I am.  Unlike the sentiment expressed in the famous theme song from “Cheers,” no one here knows my name, but they DO know my coffee. 

Since it first launched in the Fall, I’ve been in love with the Salted Caramel Mocha Frapaccinno Light- I add an extra shot for a little more oomph and I prefer the smoother consistency.  The sweet and salty flavor is just the contrast that I crave and is almost guaranteed to get my morning off on the right foot.  This one morning, though, I threw the girls for a loop when I ordered a Grande, one-Splenda, Skinny Peppermint Mocha (the one Splenda is a MUST when ordering “Skinny." Ordering as-is usually results in a caffeinated concoction that's a little to boring for my liking). 

“I just assumed you didn’t like hot coffee,” the older of the two baristas commented, almost confused, as she re-entered my order into the register, having assumed I would order the usual.  I paused, then explained that I felt some sort of strange obligation to savor the seasonal peppermint offering while I can- it’s the whole “Girl Scout” cookie phenomenon- get them before they’re gone!

The ladies and I chit-chatted as the younger of the two created my delicious, over-priced, cup of caffeine-induced kick in the pants.  Once I had my coffee in hand, we all said our farewells and I was on my way.  Driving in the dark along Highway 75, I turned down the music and found myself revisiting the barista’s comment.  Although simple, it really resonated. 

Honestly, I LOVE, hot coffee, especially when it’s cold out, but even on the chilliest of days I stick with whatever Frapaccinno is currently on my radar. Why is that, I wondered.  After (over)-analyzing the question, I figured it out and in doing so, pinpointed what I consider my biggest personality flaw. 

I drink iced coffee because I don’t have to wait.  I want a drink – I sip with no threat of scalding my tongue or burning the roof of my mouth.  I don’t have to remove the lid, blow into the cup and then cautiously touch my lips to the caffeine nectar as a precaution to smoldering my taste buds; I just drink to my little heart’s content.

Such a revealing thought.  Oddly enough, I really don’t consider myself impatient – I’m a mother for crying out loud, I have no choice but to have a great deal of patience – but my incessant need for instant gratification sometimes seems insurmountable. 

Now looking at this from a coffee cup “half full” perspective (Lame, I know, forgive me.  It’s late.), I would have to say that there’s a part of me that’s glad I’m wired this way.  When I see something I want, I go for it without hesitation and am all-in… no looking back, no regrets, just an eye-on-the-prize mentality that motivates me to push through obstacles, exhaustion, you name it, to ultimately get what I want.  And while I wouldn’t want to lose my passion, my drive, I could certainly and should definitely strive for a “patience is a virtue” state of mind.

There's so much irony in this blog, based primarily on the fact that as a student at Baylor, I wrote an article for the Belton Journal in which I expressed disappointment in my generation’s need for the now.  I wrote of how our upbringing in a world of fast lanes and fast food has caused us to live with unrealistic expectations on how to set, follow, and accept timelines.  I also talked about going for evening runs on the “Bear Trail” and how I made a conscious decision every day to stop on the University Parks Drive bridge to watch the sunset.  I never stopped running, I didn’t want to lose my momentum, but just ran in place, sweaty and heart-racing, watching God’s work of art on a timeline perfected by the Creator.

Now, with deadlines and schedules and goals and a desire to be the best mom, best employee, and most well-rounded person I can, I sometimes forget to enjoy the simpler, slower things.  I want to remember the sweet satisfaction of wanting something so badly and how great it feels to see the fruits of your labor after days, months, or even years of wishful waiting. 

In the meantime, I'm really going to try to make an effort to savor the simpler things in hopes that doing so will remind me to enjoy life as it happens, when it happens.  And while I no longer have time to go on daily runs and can’t always set aside time to “stop and smell the roses” I would love to occasionally make time to catch a sunset, take a scenic route, or sip a cup of hot coffee.  After all, you've got to start somewhere.  Change is a process, and I'm in no hurry...