I was watching a movie early this morning, still trying to recover from my last semester of doctoral studies, and there was a scene that got me thinking. The movie was about World War II, and the actors were sitting at a table drinking freshly brewed coffee. Someone asked, “what was the best cup of coffee you ever had?” Listening to the response got me thinking about my own “best” cup of coffee. I was leading a youth group trip out to Arizona, and one of the highlights was staying at a hotel on the rim of the Grand Canyon. One one particular morning, a few of us got up very early and walked over to the El Tovar Hotel. The restaurant was just opening, and through the large windows overlooking the canyon, we could see that it was going to be a glorious day. Shortly after we were seated, coffee was brought to the table. The waiter asked if we would like to try their cinnamon rolls, which had just come out of the oven. How could we pass?
That morning, I had the chance to experience what I consider my best cup of coffee and my best cinnamon roll. Maybe it was the place. Maybe it was the people. Maybe it was a simple gift God wanted me to have that particular day. Whatever it was, I’ve never had a cup of coffee and a morning pastry that tasted so good. Ah, the simple things in life.
Friends, sometimes life gets in the way of such memories. We all tend to get caught up in the moment, dealing with present circumstances which might bring us down, rather than lift us up. Life is too short to dwell on the negative. Of course, negative things will happen to all of us, but the key is to not dwell on them, but rather to keep moving forward, seeking the positive.
St. Ignatius would remind us that the glory of God is all around us, we just need to open our eyes and see. That glory might be as magnificent as a sunrise over the Grand Canyon, or as simple as sitting in your backyard sipping a cup of coffee while listening to the birds. Today, take a pause and start thinking about how you might add to the line, “It was the best…” I don’t know about you, but I could spend a whole day coming up with ideas on how I would answer. I’m smiling already. 🙂
