Pavlov and Me

Some find comfort in smoking. Some in alcohol. I find it in foods.

Every morning I have my devotional time sitting on a couch in our living room. Next to me is a table on which, each morning, a cup of coffee sits, and is frequently refilled.

As the morning goes on, I’m likely to pick up my computer to respond to some quick email, and to see what the world is up to on Facebook. All the time, the cup of coffee is there.

So, this evening, as I was doing some cleaning in the kitchen, I looked at the coffee pot, and determined that I did not need to make a cup.

But then, I sat in my spot on the couch. I grabbed to computer to finish off some blog posts. The table next to me was empty, and for the past half hour I’ve been craving the cup of coffee I previously ruled out.

All by the power of place and habit. There is probably a spiritual application of all of this, but without my coffee, I can’t capture it right now.

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Which reminds me – my absolute favorite mug was handmade by Nigel Rudolph.

Nigel and Cheyenne Rudolph are gifted potters who make wonderfully attractive mugs (one is pictured) and other things. They apply a glaze on them that is hard to describe, but it makes the mug feel unique in one’s hands.

Their creations make wonderful Christmas presents. If you live in the Bradenton area, watch their site (or subscribe to their blog) for news about their upcoming sale. It is a rare pleasure to drink coffee or tea in a handmade work of fine art.