GENTS CAFE X GAGGIA | This article is part of the “Over an Espresso” series—an invitation to slow down, brew an espresso at home, and let reflection surface
Shortly before noon, the house settles into a certain stillness. The light shifts, slipping through the kitchen window and resting on the counter where my espresso cup is already waiting. I don’t need to look at the clock. My internal clock knows when it’s time for an espresso.
I’ve used this machine thousands of times. The gestures are instinctive. The machine hums. It’s music to my ears. Then the first dark drops fall into the cup, gathering into a thin stream. The aroma rises immediately, almost comforting. When the crema spreads across the surface, I hesitate for a second. It looks almost too beautiful to drink.
With the cup in my hand, I step outside into the garden. The sound of wind is moving through leaves. The air brushes against my face as I sit down to my favourite place. I take the first sip and I love it. It’s hot and intense. And with that sip, something shifts. My eyes closed, the wind curls around my nose and suddenly I’m far from this quiet garden. I’m back on the French Atlantic coast. Sand clinging to my feet. Sun warming my back. The sea in constant motion. I see myself there, awkwardly determined, battling the waves with a surfboard. I was a beginner, and that’s how I performed. I often lost my footing and swallowed a lot of salt water. Espresso definitely tastes better. It was frustrating. My arms burned, my legs trembled. The ocean was indifferent to my ambition.
But giving up was out of the question. There must be a wave I can catch. Then there was that one. I remember the brief, miraculous moment of balance: the board gliding forward, the shoreline moving closer, the realization that I was actually standing. It didn’t last long, but it was great. All the effort beforehand had been worth it. Later, I sat on the beach for hours. Everything hurts. My bones ached, my shoulders throbbed, but I felt so alive. And yet, I felt stronger than ever proud of myself.
Life has its own waves. There are moments when I struggle. But I’ve learned that the effort is rarely wasted. Most of the time, it’s just preparation for that one wave that carries you forward and there are more and more waves coming to carry you.
To remember this, I need small, steady rituals. Anchors in the day. My midday espresso is one of them. It gives structure to my hours, but more than that, it gives me space. A few quiet minutes to breathe, to reflect. I take another sip and empty the cup. I feel clear and strong, ready to „paddle“ out again.
Photo Courtesy of Tasha Ender
