We’re running on caffeine. It’s flowing in our veins just as sure as our blood used to be red. We’re wired, motivated, focused and driven. However, for many people this turns into something more. Some people don’t handle very well the constant caffeine plus all the added sweet features you get in those morning coffee runs and drive-thrus. Before the day is half over, the motivated and focused qualities can easily turn into competitive, irritable, demanding, mad, pushy, defensive and even road rage.
The results of these outbursts are being “tweeted” everyday and scattered across the internet and evening news. Have we as a people lost our cool or what? Coffee shops and iPhones go hand in hand. What would we do without either one? By the end of the day we’re just plain spent, finished and all washed up, so we go to bed because the coffee just doesn’t work past midnight. We’ll get up early, crawl to the kitchen and fill up again. We’d die without it.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure the devil has a large part to play in our unwise words and actions and the state of our country and culture. Sure, and he’s lurking over there having a blast watching and listening to all the coffee talk. In fact, he’s probably the one that made coffee taste so good in the first place!
No, I’m not blaming the state of this country and all our actions on coffee, the internet or modern technology. They are just tools, and each one a good tool. But, we do seem to have a coffee love affair, a coffee culture and maybe even a coffee dilemma.
Wise old words of our grandparents come to mind, “Everything in moderation.” Well, how can you “moderate” coffee? It’s almost worshiped as a god these days (it actually IS) and advertised and available so much that who can say "no" to it and all the new blends and flavors they come up with. Well, it isn’t easy (to moderate) I can vouch for that. But I’m not addicted either. Some people are, but not me, I can stop after 10 cups, even 5. (Just kidding, really!)
I don’t have any solutions or answers for those really addicted to caffeine and some of the sad effects it might have caused them. Like anything overdone, it would need to be replaced with something less stimulating, if it's a problem. A nice glass of old fashioned sweet iced tea might stimulate enough will power in some people to keep going physically and mentally all afternoon. A glass of wine is relaxing and soothing if stress is too high. And of course, there is always a nice cup of hot TEA for healing and comfort. We could all use more of these, and yes, I mean during the DAYTIME - Not after a coffee meltdown.
So, stay tuned for “Tea Time” coming soon!
Until then, enjoy that one less cuppa coffee - if you tend to be a coffee-holic!
~ Gwen of IRISH ACRES
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