The Benefits of Coffee

Over the weekend Parade magazine ran a story about the six ways coffee can keep us healthy. Here they are:

1. Ease your headache pain.
2. Fight prostrate cancer.
3. Enhance your physical endurance.
4. Keep your mind going and going . . .
5. Lower your risk of Parkinson's.
6. Ease an asthma attack.

You can read more in depth about each way on Parade's website.

It's cool to hear about all the health benefits of coffee, especially since I drink several cups every day and one or two on the weekends at various coffee shops.

For me, one of the biggest benefits has more to do with relational health.

"Grabbing a cup of coffee" with a friend, or even a date, has become a social event in our culture. It's now considered to be "doing something."

In reality, it might be better than doing something because it means you almost have to converse with the person or people on the other side of the table.

[Every Wednesday night Pete, right, and Patty Mueller, pictured September 9, 2009, walk to Bakers Square in Chicago, Illinois, for Date Night where they enjoy a cup of coffee, a slice of pie, and some alone time for themselves. (William DeShazer/Chicago Tribune/MCT) Photo via Newscom. Content © 2009 Newscom All rights reserved.]

Nearly every time I meet friends for coffee, I learn something new about them. Sometimes it is the smallest of things: preferences, desires, little facts about their history, etc.

At the very least, I always get caught up with events in their lives.

I love that.