As silly as this sounds, I’m thankful for coffee. 
Coffee = good morning!
Coffee = over the counter meds for us ADD types.
Coffee = countless flavors all year long.
But most importantly:
Coffee = memories.
Around here coffee is a major food group on its own. If someone is awake in this house, there is a pot of coffee on. And a fresh pot often will equal sitting down at the table, or in the family room or living room, coffee in hand sharing about how our day transpired. Sometimes it is a pow-wow or brain storming session to solve an issue. Sometimes it is a gathering of the Divas to help one of us through a rough spot. Most often it is a time to sit together and laugh, share and relax.
Coffee brings back memories of my friend, Marita, and sitting together with coffee in hand, nails clicking on the table top and cups because we’re both rather animated when we talk. I miss her and our long talks over our coffee cups.
Coffee sometimes means memories made when out Black Friday shopping, or sitting at Tri-County mall with my old tutor, Bob, working on my signing language skills and laughing at the ridiculous stories he’d sign for me to interpret that would have me laughing hard enough to spew the coffee out of my nose.
Coffee carries with it so many fond memories of other times and places, recent events and good times, and sometimes just the peaceful quiet of being the first person awake to make it and feed the cats. Different flavors give off different scents bringing to mind many different times and places.
I’m thankful for not so much the coffee, itself, but what it is and does in my life.
Marti Gardner 