I love coffee. Have I mentioned that before? With Java, I'm like a senior citizen when it comes to free samples at the grocery...I just can't get enough.



About six months ago a man came to me with a small baggie of contraband. It was wrapped in a brown paper lunch bag with my name written on it. As the words, "What's this?" began to leave my mouth, my hands made contact with the secret substance and my nose clued me in on what was inside. Before he even said anything, I knew it was coffee.

The aroma was so stout and confident...these weren't like other coffee smells I had come in contact with. As I opened up the paper sack, I could see that there was a small plastic sandwich bag filled with beautiful, dark-brown coffee beans. A masking tape label was displayed prominently reading: Roast City #1 - Guatemala

Glancing up from my surprise, he said to me, "I know how much you like coffee...so I figured I would let you try some of mine. I've been roasting my own coffee at home and I brought this for you."

This man is a coffee purist. While he doesn't have a lot of money, he definitely appreciates the finer things in life. He's developed an at-home method of roasting his own raw coffee beans that he orders online. This allows him to take part in a hobby, experience some of the finest coffee known to man at a much lower price, and share something he loves with people. Oh...and his at-home roasting method consists of a popcorn popper, open doors/windows, and lots of experience.

Thanking the man for the coffee I walked away and I didn't see him for a week. When I did see him again. He had another bag of coffee for me. It was also appreciated. When I saw him a week after that, he brought me yet another bag of home-roasted coffee that was out of this world in quality. At this I had to ask him, "Why are you bringing me coffee every week?"

He told me that he really appreciated all the things I did for people and that this was just his way of being able to serve me and say thank you. He told me that while he doesn't have much money, this is a way for him to do something of high value for me. Dollars permitting, he has brought me a small bag of coffee beans each week for the last six months. I've consumed every last bean.

This man is living out of excess rather than absence.

And he has no idea how much that means to me.