perspective

JP's coffee is magic.

I was there today, basking in the warmth of the afternoon sun, drinking an iced latte, and enjoying an all-too-rare opportunity to spend time with my mom and both of my sisters. Since Abby was in town for a wedding, the whole family had arranged to meet in Holland today for brunch at Boatwerks. Afterward, we wandered Kollen Park and Centennial Park (home of the world's ugliest water feature) before returning to our meeting place, Jess's summer housing on campus. At that point, my dad had to leave to drive to his next out-of-town work assignment, which left just us girls. I had mentioned JP's earlier in our gathering, and so we decided to make a stop.

It was Miss Conway who first introduced me to the beauty of an iced coffee beverage, or to any coffee beverage for that matter. The summer after my freshman year at Hope, my first summer as an intern with the CMFS, I happened to bump into her on 8th St. as I was distributing fliers to the stores. She offered to buy me something from JP's, and since I had never had anything coffee before, she selected an iced mocha. Much to my surprise, I found it to be quite tasty, and thus began my life as a drinker of coffee-type things.

Today, however, an iced Milky Way was my drink of choice. (With the coffee ice, of course - a JP's perk that I've yet to find anywhere else.) My relationship with JP's Milky Ways goes back to sophomore year, the first of my three years living with Nancy. It was Nancy's older brother Paul who got me started on Milky Ways. It was his favorite, and so Nancy would often get it as well, and I - still only minimally versed in coffee - would nearly always have one, too. We called ourselves the Milky Way club. To this day I can't order one without thinking of them.

As I sat in the sun with my mom and sisters, sipping a drink full of memories, I couldn't help but put school in a different perspective. Yes, I want to do well. I have a history of such. But I also have a history of being rather stressed out along the way. And you know what? Ultimately, it's not about what letters are on my transcript (although I would be lying if I said that I didn't care). Life is about family and friends and making the most of each day. And yes, that includes studying and learning and working hard and striving to do my best. But it also includes keeping things in perspective and remembering that at the end of the day it's not about who I am but about Whose I am.

So, with those semi-deep thoughts, I bid you all goodnight. Bring on week 6!