What's in a cup?

I remember my first cup of coffee.  A syrupy, lukewarm  mix of sugar, cream, and instant Folgers remained in the bottom of a mug.  My mother handed it to me and I felt privileged.  I felt welcomed to experience an adult beverage.  I liked it.  Ever after, I looked forward to the chance of my mother handing me her leftovers or my father making a little too much in the coffee pot.  

In college, coffee became more social and academic.  It was something that you experience with friends through a french press in a dorm room.  Or it was a way to feel out whether or not you wanted to take the girl out on a real date.  

But, around my senior year... it hit me while I was alone in my dorm room with a cup of freshly brewed coffee.  Where did this coffee come from?  Who picked these coffee "beans" and what kind of plant produced them?  What is the process from the seed to the cup?  What are the stories of those who use coffee as a means of life?  How can I thank them?  How can I get involved?

After developing my own investigation and research, I enrolled in my own self-taught coffee university.  I've been at it for around five years and I still consider myself to be a freshman.  I have learned that even though I am fascinated by the deliciousness and diversity of the beverage, that there is so much to coffee.  It's such a powerful element.  It's ancient.  It connects the world together.  It harmonizes diversity.  It is the conduit for something greater, something powerful, and something that has affected all of us in some way.  It's a journey, and my wife and I am on it.  I decided to slowly become nomadic in my thinking, desiring to use coffee as a conduit to build relationships, create community, and help others.  

I invite you to be coffee nomads with me as well.  Will you join me?