One More Cup Of Coffee

Madness. Confusion. The smell of death. Danger in the fires burning above the flooded city of New Orleans. The federal emergency agency director, Michael Brown, is quoted saying he's working "under conditions of urban warfare."

The muddy floodwaters are now toxic with fuel, battery acid, rubbish and raw sewage.

The Gulf Coast hurricane aftermath is pretty bad. Amid the tragedy, humans rise to the occasion and selflessly help others survive. It's hard to comprehend as I write this from my safe and sunny Central Coast of California perch.

A few days ago, I was going to write a bit on the antioxidant effects of coffee. How coffee is the number one antioxidant consumed by Americans. How antioxidants in general have been linked to a number of potential health benefits, including protection against heart disease and cancer. How I thought tomatoes had to be high on the list but they're not.

Coffee for me now, as I learned it could be more than 12 years ago is a liquid of sobriety. Its aroma is a calming presence. Its heat a comfort to a troubled soul. Filling others' cups an act of service. A conscious contact with a Higher Power.

It provides moments of steadiness and solid contact with familiar smells and sounds. The clink of cups and saucers. Humans helping humans. Conscious contact.

Katrina's survivors in New Orleans might not need a cup of coffee at this moment, but they sure could use the grace of God to survive another lawless night. Sphere: Related Content