By Staff
Years ago, without even knowing anything about the Melitta Coffee Co., I adopted what I later discovered as the Melitta philosophy of life: "Indulge a little every day, because life should be sipped, not gulped."
Here on my front porch I relax and sip.
Even on the warmest days, it's usually comfortable on the porch.
Of course I savor the delicate flavors of life elsewhere, but it's always to the porch that I return.
Whether it's early morning or early evening after work, it's here that I can slow down.
Remember the lyrics to "Feelin' Groovy": "Slow down, you move too fast/You've got to make the morning last."
That's what life is about.
Slowing down when we move too fast.
When Henry Morton Stanley set out in 1871 on what turned out to be a 200-day trek through Africa to find the renowned Dr. David Livingston, it is reported that on a particularly hot day, his porters sat down and refused to move.
Stanley was angry that progress was halted, even interrupted, so he complained to the head porter.
The porter replied, "Sir, these men are waiting for their spirits to catch up with them!"
I certainly feel that way - I leave my spirit behind while I spin and twist and accelerate through the day, only to exhaust myself.
When I return home and retreat to a quiet place, my spirit, moving at a sane pace, finds me.
Life moves too fast when I feel out of control of events and circumstances.
It moves too fast when I can't remember what I've done that day.
Like any of the many kinds of binging, quantity overrules quality.
Gulping coffee, cup after cup.
Talking without listening.
Smoking (I'm not endorsing this habit) without knowing how many cigarettes were smoked.
Eating without really tasting the food.
Sipping life is quite different.
The aroma, warmth and flavor of coffee is savored and appreciated.
Listening is more important than talking.
Food is enjoyed - color, texture and blends of taste.
Sipping life is taking a stroll as opposed to running, feeling the refreshing touch of a breeze on your face, deeply breathing in fresh air, listening to a child tell a story or a friend tell a joke, having a leisurely meal with your spouse or special friend and sitting on the porch listening to the summer sounds of night.
While we can't always slow down (appointments must be kept, deadlines much be met, problems must be handled), we can find time to slip away, even in a daydream, to pause and let the spirit catch up with the body.
You can always retreat to your front porch, even if it's only in your imagination.
"Indulge a little every day, because life should be sipped, not gulped."