My mom always told me I’d know I was a mother when I was willing to eat cold eggs. I only recently truly grew to appreciate the smile that accompanied her words.

The day I found myself nursing a regular-sized cup of coffee for a full five hours, I knew I’d reached my “mom” moment. Something greater than my coffee existed, but my need for caffeine persisted. That afternoon, I realized I needed to create lunch, and found my breakfast from that morning still on the counter. Was it from that morning? Had I even made these eggs? Whatever, they were here, I was here, and the baby was distracted. So I ate. They probably would have benefitted from some ketchup, but they weren’t in dire need of fixing. I was eating for sustenance, not enjoyment. A hangry (hungry+angry) mama is not the kind of mama I needed to be. And so the cold eggs were eaten. The lukewarm coffee was finished. My life didn’t end, and I didn’t get food poisoning.

It’s a picture of necessity over desire.

These days, less cold eggs are consumed, but more cold coffee is sipped. I forget it in the microwave, or leave it in a random spot where I hopefully discover it on that same day.

I made a mistake when I listened to my mom, though. I thought cold eggs and coffee were the just the signs of an exhausted parent. But they’re really evidence of a greater cause in our lives that pushes us away from the normal and into the amazing. We’ve got things to do, places to go and Purpose is not going to wait for us to sip that steaming cup of lovely warm beverage. Purpose won’t always wait for us to clean the dishes, or finish reading.

If you’re drinking cold coffee, chances are you’ve got someplace more important to be right now, something you’ve got to do. Why aren’t you doing it? My room temp cup is sitting next to me as I pound out these last few words, grab a feature photo and pop this online, because I have a short person who needs her mac and cheese, and the laundry needs folding. Because once I do that, I’ll be able to focus on writing the stories I’m hoping she’ll read someday. Stories that I pray will make a difference in at least one person’s life.

Writing, studying, cuddling someone you love, or walking out that door to that meeting you don’t really want to attend. They’re all decent reasons to have cold coffee, if they will make you the person you need to be. Aside from grabbing a Yeti cup to take with you, there’s nothing else I’d advise you to do.

Published by adavis

Amy Davis is a writer, mother, lover of hot drinks and nerdy things. She occasionally bakes, reads, knits, crochets, practices yoga, paints, and generally has enough hobbies to keep her occupied from doing what she should actually be doing.

19 thoughts on “Drinking Cold Coffee”

  3. I know this much is true: if I post early, right when I’m thinking about it, the rest of the day is much more effortless.

    That really goes for everything. I’d I don’t put things off, everything else goes much easier.

    Especially food. Because I’m not nice when I’m hangry.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    1. That’s an excellent point. It’s one of my goals to get my writing done in the mornings, since I’m not a night owl at all.
      And yes. Food makes it all better. 😉

      Like

      Reply

  4. Very enjoyable read! I loved the line, “But they’re really evidence of a greater cause in our lives that pushes us away from the normal and into the amazing.” Thanks for sharing!

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  5. Thanks for sharing your first “mom moment.” I’m going to sit here a moment with my cold, watery tea and ponder what my first mom moment was.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  7. I love coffee, mostly the creamy, sweet kind, hot or cold. We can relate to finishing off that cold cup of coffee, even those of us without littles underfoot. I love your casual, comfortable style. I feel like we all just had a little kaffeeklatsch.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  8. Beautiful, transparent writing. You remind me of a moment when I was young when I had “everything”–a beautiful wardrobe, a swanky apartment, the car du jour–and as I looked out over the San Francisco skyline, I felt empty, as if life hadn’t even begun. Looking back now on the kids I’ve raised and how far we’ve traveled together to the people they’ve become, I remember lots of late breakfasts and cold cuppas and am so glad a portion of my career has been in this part of the “people” business. Purpose, with family or otherwise, is a beautiful thing as is your lovely expression of it here. Much enjoyed this read.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

      1. Yes. I still feel that feeling with my now eighteen-year-old, though much of the time I can hear his two-year-old self saying, “lemme do it.” That feeling never goes away as much as it changes. Your kids are lucky to have you, even as that coffee goes cold 🙂

        Like

  9. “I thought cold eggs and coffee were the just the signs of an exhausted parent. But they’re really evidence of a greater cause in our lives that pushes us away from the normal and into the amazing.” I guess this is why lunches are bolted on the fly and coffees must be rewarmed at school (and restroom visits postponed). The greater causes, the tending of needs. I’m not a parent, but in loco parentis to about 180 kids. I love this meditation.

    I will say, however, that my unplanned discovery and purchase of this Thermos brand travel mug was a godsend! Keeps things hot for 9 hours! For real! You’re welcome. 🙂

    Like

    Reply

  10. This, about cold eggs and coffee: “… evidence of a greater cause in our lives that pushes us away from the normal and into the amazing.”

    This precisely sums up the wonder of the Mom Years. They are fleeting (my eldest is 30), and you are wise to cherish them while they are here. Thanks for the reminder.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

Leave a comment