“Where do you find the best coffee in Central America?” The loud and obnoxious tourist from New York interrogates me over dinner. I hate the question. A journey is a collection of experiences, some more pleasant than others but never better: they are what they are. I learned more about myself overcoming challenges than sipping cocktails in front of a picture-perfect sunset. But the girl is not interested in that. She just wants to know where to find “the best coffee”. I doubt she really values my opinion, so why should I give it to her? But her high-pitched and inquisitive voice has silenced the entire dinner party: all eyes are now turned towards me. I need to say something quickly. A laconic answer comes out of my mouth, bypassing my mind: “El Salvador”. Pretending to care, she replies: “Oh, really?” Then she continues to talk about herself. Blah blah blah. The words start to blur. I tune out.
In actual fact my favorite cup of Joe is not from El Salvador: I love the taste of Nescafé instant coffee. Almost every morning I prepare myself a small cup. With the right amount of powder and sugar, the dark mixture tastes better to me than any freshly ground Arabica or Robusta. Maybe this goes back to my late teenage years when I would savor a large bowl to help me wake up each day before going to school. Anyway, Miss Egocentric cannot understand. She lives in a world where the best things in life are objectively known and scientifically labeled. The best books are listed in the New York Times, the best hotels in the Lonely Planet and the best movies are the ones who received praise from the critics.
Screw this!
In my world Nescafé instant is the best coffee. In my world the best books are the ones that touch my heart, not the ones that use fancy words and collect literary prizes. In my world the best hotels are the ones that no guidebook tells you about: you just find them – or maybe they find you.
We are each masters of our own world, free to decide what we like and what we don’t, what matters and what doesn’t. As long as we remain true to ourselves no one can take that away from us. It is our secret, our treasure.
Cedric, 02/19/2012
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