Coffee is a way of life. Being Portuguese, I think the act of drinking coffee can be as spiritual as any religion. Recently I decided to quit caffeine for good. I know, #sadlife. At the start, it was terrible to not feel that sweet-sour taste of coffee in the morning, afternoon and sometimes evening. In case you’re wanting to do the same, may I gently remind you of decaf coffee? It works, believe me. For the first few days, the lack of caffeine was dire but tolerable. Now I never feel the need for that extra boost. I sleep when I am meant to be asleep and I wake up with birds singing—granted these birds are my partner’s alarm clock, but it still counts as a pleasant thing.

If you are on the same journey and need a friend, buy a french press and a bag of decaf. Taste that wonderful taste of coffee beans without the kick, and thank me later.

Three years later, I am editing this post because of typos. Let me tell you what happened next… I got an espresso machine for my birthday in 2020… I’m editing this post while sipping coffee. The real kind.