As a child, I valued the loyalty
of friendships and family above all other
human endeavors.
That commitment led to consistent doses of disappointment.
In my adult years, those harsh lessons
have taught me the simple truth,
that comrades and cousins,
romantic partners and parents,
they carry the rich aroma of the best coffee.
Much like coffee, they help us
through our days, and give us a savory
expectation to greet each new morning.
Also much like coffee,
the mugs that contain those relationships
eventually run dry.
We can scramble to refill the meanings
behind each valued connection,
but we're often better off switching
to a lonely glass of whiskey.