Patience, Coffee, and Gracefulness

We have this awesome coffee pot at our office, though once I describe it, your opinion of it may differ. It has this unique trait that when you pour it, for some reason, it spills out coffee unless you pour it very carefully and slowly. Today, as I prepared and made my morning coffee, it struck me that the pot pours perfectly fine if you just take the time it requires of you to pour carefully. If you pour with patience, you are rewarded with a delicious cup of coffee; but pour too quickly and a mess soon follows. What prompted this line of thought this morning was what I have often called ‘gracelessness’. Sometimes there are days when I feel clumsy: I spill things, drop things, and generally can’t get into a groove. Today, that was me. I spilled coffee, dropped my keys, lost my glasses, dropped a clock on the floor – you get the idea. I was relying too much on myself. Has that ever happened to you? You feel like all gracefulness is gone or lacking and everything you do is a struggle or in some way a difficult hindrance? This blog attempts to marry those unique ideas and provide some autumnal reflections.

I love the fall. Even though down here the leaves don’t change like they used to when I lived up North, I still like to make a hot coffee latte and reflect on changing seasons. Today, as we reflect on patience and gracefulness, it occurs to me that sometimes in the autumn of our lives, we can struggle with patience and grace in a different way than we might when we’re younger or in a different phase of our lives. It’s easy, afterall, to feel impatient when you feel as though your youth is dwindling. You’re not alone in feeling like your best days are behind you. That feeling of nostalgia can really get to you. But if you focus too much on what was, and not enough on what can be, you may find it difficult to slow down and reflect.

How do I ‘slow down’?

Think about that quirky coffee pot for a moment. If you take your time to pour yourself a cup of Joe, you end up with the perfect cup; if you rush, you spill it everywhere. Slowing down can be difficult, especially when you feel like you need to keep going to stay with-it or fresh. That’s not always the case, however. Sometimes, when our bodies seem a half-second off from our brains, what we need most is to slow down for a minute. Slowing down isn’t simply you picking up your keys in slow-motion, but rather, you taking the time to pause and reflect on the many blessings you have. During moments of gracelessness, that’s when I find I most need to reflect on how it is a miracle that I accomplish anything at all when relying solely on my own abilities. If you take the time to be thankful for what you have and the many blessings present in your life, oftentimes, that’s the key to slowing down for a moment.

What if I’m depressed or feel like I can’t break free from this ‘gracelessness’?

You might be thinking, gee Mike, sounds great but no. I get it. Depression is real. And over prolonged periods, it can effect you in deep ways. Gracelessness can add up, after all. It can become a part of your mindset; it can bring about a deep depression. You aren’t alone in this. Countless people struggle with depression and anxiety. You might have even tried a combination of therapy and anti-depressants to no avail. This is also not as uncommon as you might think. In fact, many people come to our clinic for that exact reason! We specialize in treatment resistant depression. Our therapists work with countless patients who struggle to overcome their depression. Our nurses and psychiatrists specialize in innovative treatments, such as ketamine infusion therapy and Spravato, in order to help those who suffer most from depression and suicidal ideations and ensure they are cared for with the utmost sensitivity.

Why all this coffee talk?

Aside from being one of Justin and Marc’s favorite beverages, our coffee pot really is quirky. In other news, however, we at Cornerstone are going to be releasing a podcast designed to address a lot of the common issues you face each and every day. Coffee at the Cornerstone is our attempt to continue to provide a service to you whilst also encouraging the growth of this community we are dedicated to building with you. In the new year, we’ll be releasing our new podcast, and we look forward to including you as a part of our community!