Cup' A Joe For Ya'?

Americans love coffee. On average Americans drink three cups of coffee each day. What demographic group drinks the most coffee you ask? Surprisingly, it’s not the uber-trendy young adults often seen on television in cool coffee shops, it’s the over-60 crowd. I’m guessing you won’t see a television show about older friends hanging out at Geezer Perk. Who’s next in daily coffee consumption? It’s the 40-59 group. This is hard to believe if you’ve been in one of the swanky coffee establishments lately. Even in a recession the crowds are large and normally on the younger side. Obviously coffee is a multi-generation beverage.

There is also a new language spoken in today’s coffee world. As a purveyor of extremely mild coffee I do not shop at the trendiest spots, nor do I understand the unique language spoken there, but my wife does and upon her request I recently pulled up to a drive-through and placed her order. She told me what she wanted and I remember staring at her in stunned silence. I want a grande skinny mocha caramel latte light whipped. “I thought you wanted coffee?” It is coffee. Sir, may I take your order? “Uh, yeah, it’s a, uh, what was that again?”

You know the world is spinning a bit too fast when it takes seven words to order coffee and coffee isn’t one of them. Where has simplicity gone? Would someone please slow down this merry-go-round ? No, because it’s not possible. We have seen more change in the past fifty years than in all of history combined. It’s stands to reason that we will experience even more in the near future. But, come on, how many cable channels do we need? Do we really benefit from being connected 24/7? Do kids really need to become skilled in every gaming system that exists? Would we all benefit from a slow walk in the park? It’s not my place to answer these questions for others; my job is to begin the conversation and steer it toward the arena of faith. So, ponder what Jesus might say about today’s speed-of-light-lifestyles? Assess the toll that stress has taken due to our deepening dependence on being connected. You know it’s getting out of hand when the laws for texting while driving are the same as driving under the influence of alcohol. It might be time to slow down, take a breath and order a cup of coffee…plain coffee!

MM