Coffee Wallet

He who is not contented with what he has, would not be contented with what he would like to have.
— Socrates

Question: What areas of your life, in the past, have been stripped from excess? What was left? Did you survive? (Spoiler alert: Yes.) What does this mean for you, today? 

The first things that comes to mind is when my parents confronted my Starbucks addiction. There was a time when I was going to Starbucks every day, meeting friends or just because…every day included a Starbucks. Really costly and oh so healthy. I was stripped from my excessive compulsion for Starbucks coffee and introduced to coffee at home, which isn’t as sparkly as the green lady, but it gets the job done. 

It seems frivolous, but isn’t that the way of excess. It is stuff, things, and even drinks we do not need, but indulge for our own comfort and desire. What was left from my being stripped of my daily dose of caffeine in the cute cup? A big temper tantrum and slowly learning and appreciating what I did have. I have a coffee maker that makes a mighty fine cup of coffee at a significantly lesser price than my desire. And I have way cuter mugs than even the cutest Starbucks seasonal cup. I learned to appreciate the treat of sitting down across from a kindred spirit or new friend for conversation and specialty crafted coffee. It is a treat, not something I am owed or should expect in my every day. 

I survived the great intervention of coffee and wallet. I learned to value my money and my parent’s money, because yes I was using both to indulge. I learned to appreciate treats and my normal days. 

Another time I can think of was at college. I had to learn to share my space. It wasn’t too hard to give up my only child ways, but it is something that I had to get used to. The room was not my room, but our room and I had to respect that. Only children get spoiled in never having to share our room, for me my space has always been not only unique to me, but a place to reflect and be silent. All those good vibes disappear in college, you have to share and that is a weird feeling. I survived brilliantly and learned how to daily pick up my stuff and keep my space tidy. I have never been a neat freak, but college gave me an appreciation for less stuff and keeping those things in order. 

Excess is something I know all too well. I have been with and without and within, all at the same time. Even in my without, I still have much. Through experience I know that I can survive with the bare minimum of clothes, a book, my bible, and a computer…and still that is much. I can fluctuate from guilt to appreciation when I look around me. At the end of the day I have to remind myself that all of it is a gift I have been given. It is not meant to stay with me forever or even longer than it takes for me to read a book. It is all mean to be shared and given away. I am thankful for what is in my life today and what is to come, but I know if it all goes away and I am left empty handed, I still have more than enough. 

It is from this place that I daily try to live. I sometimes cave to convenience and the “more monster” and buy those books, art supplies, coffee, clothes, and shoes. I let my will win out over thankfulness for what I have before me to use, wear, enjoy, and give away. It all reveals the deeper issues of my heart, that even on my best of days I do not like to acknowledge, but I know they are there. So on my better days, I face my want and the excess around me and I say thank you for what I have and say no to shiny things that are already before me.

- Hannah