Three Cups for Thanksgiving

I love coffee. I love the flavor and I love to linger over my first (and second) cup every morning. The cup matters too.  I have a small collection but there are three that I seem to reach for more often than others.

One says plainly, “gratitude.” I always find myself giving thanks for various blessings when I sip coffee from that cup. Another says, “gratitde.”  It took a second try before auto-correct would allow that spelling. But there it is, etched into the side of my cup. That one always makes me smile. I imagine the potter noticing the flaw and firing it anyway with a little bit of whimsy. I love it. You could even say I feel gratitude for the mistake, if that’s what it is. 

The third cup was one that I gave to my dad many years ago and that my mom returned to me some time after his death. I always remember him when I hold this cup. I am grateful for his life and the love he gave to me. The cup has a few words from a familiar psalm, “The Lord is my shepherd.”  Wise words and beautiful pottery seem a fitting vessel for something as important as coffee.  It also has a broken handle. I was a little sad when it broke and thought I wouldn’t use it again. But on second thought, I like the broken cup.  It’s like me – flawed but still useful. This cup has to be held a little differently now, usually two hands while the coffee is hot and fresh. That seems appropriate too. 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Danny Reding

November 27, 2025