Where do I begin…they say that we are but a conglomeration of the experiences and people we associate throughout life. In my personal and professional journey, I have had the pleasure of meeting numerous people with various backgrounds and experiences that openly shared their advice and guidance in times of need. It would be selfish to not practice reciprocity and share some of my experiences and unsolicited advice with those taking the time to seek advice and guidance.
When I was growing up, I remember watching my beautiful grandmother (Mama Tina) toil over making her wonderful brew of coffee. She started with first creating a wood fire in her stove, and then placing a comal (a large ceramic dish used for cooking) on top of the fire and heating it up. She then placed fresh coffee beans and commenced roasting them to perfection. The smell of this process woke every sense in my body and I am sure Mama Tina could not wait to sip on her cup of joe. Once the coffee beans were roasted, she then placed them on a stone grinder and manually ground the beans for brewing. Her patience and dedication to this process was something to watch as she made this wonderful caffeine elixir. This was no ordinary cup of coffee and everyone in her house knew it. She delicately brewed it to perfection and poured herself a cup and sipped in a zen-like state. She shared her wonderful creation with everyone around her and this often resulted in a gathering around our matriarch for conversation. She shared stories, guidance, advice, and jokes until all but a few coffee grounds remained at the bottom of our coffee cups. I cherish these memories and I long for those beautiful times.
Those beautiful memories of infancy has inspired the creation of this blog and the want to share experiences and life lessons. For me, coffee has a way of taking me back to those wonderful days and allows me to reflect on the things I am most grateful for and appreciate the everyday experiences of life. Cuentame Cafecito will be a forum where I will share my experiences and encourage a conversation on various life topics. I look forward to sharing a virtual cup of coffee with you as we let coffee inspire our thoughts and energize our souls.
