Episode notes
Sometimes the Plastic Grocery Bags Win
Hello,
Welcome to Cager’s Coffee Break! Have you ever tried to open one of those plastic produce bags at the grocery store?
You know the ones.
You grab the bag, rub the edges between your fingers, turn it over, rub it again…and nothing.
Meanwhile, somebody walks up beside you, grabs a bag, flicks it open on the first try, drops three apples into it, and walks away.
Now you're standing there thinking, “Well, apparently this bag has decided we're not working together today.”
You lick your finger.
Nothing.
You rub the bag between your palms.
Nothing.
At some point, you're considering putting the apples and tomatoes directly into your purse and calling it a day.
Isn't life like that sometimes?
We can spend so much energy trying to force something to happen exactly when we want it to happen. We push. We pull. We worry. We get frustrated. And sometimes the harder we try, the more stubborn the situation seems to become.
But maybe every moment doesn't need to be forced.
Sometimes we need to slow down, give things a little time, and allow the process to work.
Coffee actually gives us a pretty interesting example of that.
After coffee beans are roasted, they naturally release carbon dioxide in a process called degassing. Some of that carbon dioxide becomes trapped inside the porous structure of the roasted bean and gradually escapes over time. When coffee is ground, that gas escapes much faster because so much more of the coffee is exposed to the air.
And here's where that connects with everyday life.
Something can be happening even when we can't see it.
A coffee bean sitting quietly in a bag doesn't look like it's doing much of anything—but there's a process taking place inside.
Sometimes we're like that too.
We look at our circumstances and think, “Nothing is changing.”
But change doesn't always announce itself.
Maybe a relationship is slowly being repaired.
Maybe you're learning patience you didn't know you needed.
Maybe an opportunity is beginning to take shape.
Maybe you're simply becoming stronger while you're waiting for the situation around you to change.
And sometimes the best thing we can do is stop wrestling with that stubborn little produce bag for a minute!
Make yourself a cup of coffee.
Sit down.
Enjoy the moment you're living instead of worrying so much about the one you're trying to get to.
That's one of the things I love about a good coffee break. It gives us permission to stop for a few minutes. The world doesn't fall apart because we sit down and enjoy a warm cup of coffee.
The laundry will wait.
The emails will wait.
And yes, even that grocery bag can wait.
If you're looking for a delicious cup to enjoy during your next coffee break, stop by www.cagerscoffeehut.com and take a look at the coffee blends available from Cager's Coffee Hut.
Then pour yourself a cup, find a comfortable chair, and remember that not everything in life has to happen immediately.
Some things need a little time.
Some things need a little patience.
And some days, we simply need to stop fighting with the produce bag and buy the apples loose.
Until next time, enjoy your coffee, enjoy the little moments in your day, and remember keep brewing kindness one cup at a time.