Greetings to all members of the community, how have you been? I don't know about you, but sometimes when I'm having coffee in the company of my family members, I get a little sentimental, and that was the first thing that came to mind when I read the second question related to the celebration of International Coffee Day this year, which brings me to one of the great reflections I made with a cup of coffee in my hand… although this has been a big part of my life. The truth is that most of us Venezuelans spend our lives this way, drinking coffee. We grow up watching adults converse while enjoying this magnificent beverage, which for us means much more than something to delight our palate, from morning to night, letting ourselves be carried away by this tradition.

I think no one teaches us what life is; we just realize that as time goes by and we live, at the end of the day, life is about that accumulation of moments, feelings, experiences, thoughts, and so on. I spent so much time with my mind constantly thinking about things that had not yet happened that I forgot to enjoy the present. Although I know that I am still young and, in theory, I have many years to live, that wasted time weighs on me because unfortunately, there are people who do not have so much time left, like my grandparents. Yes, yes, it sounds a bit depressing, but human beings are not eternal; we have a certain amount of time in this world to live, and saying goodbye is unfortunately part of life itself.

One day, I was sitting around talking about everything and anything with one of my grandmothers, enjoying a cup of coffee, when I realized that there would come a time when we could never be like this again. I think that is why I started to take more pictures at every moment, because I understood that those moments we share with the people around us are unique; they will be precious memories in a future where it may no longer be possible to create new memories, so we must make the most of them. I see my grandparents, and in them I also see my parents, who I hope will grow old so I can also be with them in this way, but thanks to this reflection, I will have the opportunity to pay attention to each day so as not to let anything go unnoticed.

Isn't it wonderful? How something as seemingly insignificant as having coffee in the company of someone can become something transcendental that changes the way you perceive what is going on around you. For me, drinking coffee mostly implied a moment of encounter and connection with others, but without a doubt, now every moment has become this, no matter if I am doing my weekly shopping in the company of my dad in a store where curiously they give you a little cup of coffee for free. I have come to the conclusion thanks to all this, that every day is a gift to create wonderful memories and we have to take advantage of every second we have available.

Thank you very much for reading this far, I wish you all the best.

The photos are mine taken with my Redmi Note 5 phone.