My husband has been getting the Wall Street Journal for years. He reads most of it…I look at the headlines and will read an article or two of special interest. It’s one way I keep in touch with people who have different values from me…the current financial crisis has come as no big surprise.
I read the headlines the first thing in the morning, when I’m rested after a good night’s sleep. Now, as the news gets even grimmer, I heat myself a mug of hot water first. I’m not a tea or coffee drinker, but it turns out the warmth of the liquid is the soothing part. It keeps me in touch with the warm, generous part of myself…a great antidote to fear and to the anger about the greed that caused this present mess.
Why this sudden shift to a cup of warmth first? Because of a recent study showing how warmth affects the insular cortex, the part of the brain that triggers trust and cooperation. I don’t want to shut myself off from other people and the world, so I glance through the Wall Street Journal to keep a broad view of the world, and I balance it with a cup of warmth to make sure it doesn’t shut me down and keep me from connecting with other people.
What About You?
I suppose the study should come as no surprise…drinking a hot cup of tea or coffee, especially with friends, is an age-old tradition. But it is fun to understand the science behind the effect. How does a cup of warmth affect you? Is it a part of your day-to-day life?
I usually have a cup of coffee in the morning with my breakfast granola bars. I really don’t know that it affects me in any particular way, other than physically if I have too much caffeine. However, every other Monday, when we’re home, I have breakfast at a old local diner with a crowd of other guys that retired from the same place I did and I can drink cup after cup with no jitters — must be the fellowship.
I’m cutting out coffee in the evening for a while, but I am having a cup of tea on occasion.
So far as this terrible situation we seem to have gotten ourselves into, I’m still optimistic that we’ll emerge from the other side of the tunnel intact, though it does anger me a little that, while Karen and I always played by what we thought were the rules, people were playing like they were not subject to any rules whatsoever — and now we’re all going to have to pay. But, that’s life.
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I’m not sure. My warm cup contains coffee as well, so maybe I should try just water and see how that is.
It’s always first thing in the morning, I don’t usually drink coffee after the morning. Occasionally after the evening meal I’ll have tea – rarely less than a couple of hours before bed.
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My morning starts off with about a liter of plain water. I then make our morning cuppa, tea brewed with grated fresh ginger, milk and sugar. The ritual of sitting in our veranda, enjoying the morning, the sparrows the pigeons and other birds and drinking the tea is the most enjoyable thing that I do during each day. This is the quiet period when we hardly talk to each other but just enjoy the togetherness. After this, the daily chores start and the start had already charged my batteries to be able to face the rest of the day.
You are right. It is special.
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Mike,
I gave up coffee years ago because of the jitters and, quite frankly, because when I spill water it doesn’t stain. Embarrassing reason, no? 🙂
About the crisis…I’m just about past the anger and mourning, but I can’t help thinking of Sir Cadogen’s (Harry Potter) line: “Be of stout heart, the worst is yet to come!” At this point I’ll be grateful if it doesn’t get much worse. Hope that doesn’t sound too pessimistic, but it never hurts to fasten our seat belts just in case the ride gets bumpier.
Evan,
My guess is the warmth on a cold morning helps the caffeine lift ones spirits, but who knows? My mother used to drink cold coffee during the day when she was too busy to heat it up… I always liked mine warm.
rummuser,
That sounds like a great way to start the day. 🙂
Put some green tea in that cup of hot water. Add ginger like rummuser does. Andrew Weil (nutrition guru) highly recommends it.
bikehikebabe,
I do add ginger sometimes. I haven’t gotten around to the green tea yet. I do love plain water.