Member-only story
Why I Drink My Coffee in a Smooth, Ceramic Mug
A morning brew in a solid container reassures me that I can live confidently
“Would you like your coffee in a to-go cup or a mug?”
I appreciated that question from the owner of the small coffee shop where I used to sit and write. “A mug, please.”
After I became a regular they always gave me a mug.
The boutique shop seated less than a dozen people and had walls painted in a relaxing soft blue-gray. An array of coffee mugs added color to the counter, and the windows opened up to the red hues of the San Gabriel Mountains, northeast of Los Angeles.
A mug was solid and the round shape fit nicely in the palms of my hands. I liked drinking from it because it never got soggy and grew flimsy like paper cups.
A mug invited me to sip while I wrote, gave me time to think, and was something I could count on having; and that was reassuring because my world was filled with chaotic uncertainties.
The coffee shop was a practical sanctuary where I could escape from my home and write a client blog post or tackle the latest chapter in my novel.
If the volume of the music playing in the shop was a bit high, then I’d ask them to turn it down “a tad.” And they…