~ Reflection ~ The Salty Coffee

~ Reflection ~ The Salty Coffee

Love is not to forget but to forgive, not to see but understand, not to hear but to listen, not to let go but HOLD ON!!!!

He met her at a party. She was so outstanding that many guys were chasing after her, while he was so normal, nobody paid attention to him and she also saw him but chose to ignore.

At the end of the party, he invited her to have coffee with him, she was surprised but due to being polite, she promised. They met in a nice coffee shop, he was too nervous to say anything, and she felt uncomfortable.

Suddenly he asked the waiter, “Would you please give me some… salt?” She stared at him strangely! His face turned red but still, he put the salt in his coffee and drank it.

She asked him curiously, “Why you did that?” He fumbled, “When I was a little boy, I lived near the sea, I liked playing in the sea, and I could feel the taste of the sea, just like the taste of the salty coffee. Now every time I have the salty coffee, I always think of my childhood, think of my hometown, I miss my parents who are still living there.”

She was deeply touched. That’s his true feeling, from the bottom of his heart. He must be a man who loves home, cares about home, and has responsibility of home… Then she also started to speak, spoke about her faraway hometown, her childhood, her family.

That was a really nice talk, also a beautiful beginning of their story. They continued to meet. She found that actually he was a man who meets all her demands; he had tolerance, was kind hearted, warm, careful. He was such a good person but she almost missed him! Thanks to his salty coffee!

Then like every beautiful love story, they married and were living the happy life… And, every time she made coffee for him, she put some salt in the coffee, as she knew that’s the way he liked it.

After 40 years of togetherness, he passed away, left her a letter which said, “My dearest, please forgive me, forgive my whole life’s lie. This was the only lie I said to you—the salty coffee. Remember the first time we dated? I was so nervous at that time, actually I wanted to ask for some sugar, but I was nervous and said ‘Salt’ instead. It was hard for me to change so I just went ahead. I never thought that could be the start of our communication! I tried to tell you the truth many times in my life, but I was too afraid to do that, as I have promised not to lie to you for anything… Now I’m dying, I afraid of nothing so I tell you the truth, I don’t like the salty coffee, what a strange bad taste… But I have had the salty coffee for my whole life! Since I knew you, I never feel sorry for anything I do for you. Having you with me is my biggest happiness for my whole life. If I can live for the second time, still want to know you and have you for my whole life, even though I have to drink the salty coffee again.”

Her tears made the letter totally wet. Someday, someone asked her, “What’s the taste of salty coffee?” She replied, “It’s sweet.”

Om Namah Shivay