(C)o(f)fee (L)ove (a)nd (T)hrow Away Puzzles

Alongside my faithful, quick-witted mother, I know a rich cup of coffee and a simple puzzle will never be far away. As I stride into the kitchen, I inhale the bittersweet aroma of our favourite Sea to Sky blend and I slump in to a chair to finish reading the news. Near her half-empty mug I can always count on finding her half-finished crossword puzzle that she will certainly look at for hours on end only to throw it away come this afternoon. I often figure the least she can do is complete the damn puzzle, but then I remember that, realistically, my mother has enough puzzles in her life and she is not better off for knowing a four letter word meaning a slight indication. I lazily scratch the word ‘hint’ in the cells for 32 down only to contribute to the unfinished mess. To her, the words are meaningless; however, to me they are indispensible. Or perhaps it is not actually the words that matter, but rather who they come from that gives them such profound meaning. Despite knowing the importance of responsibility, my mother does whatever her heart desires with any task she takes on. She has a certain je ne sais quoi about her that ensures that in the end, everything turns out. Life is funny that way. “Do as I say, not as I do” I hear her voice resonate through my skull in this moment while I come to appreciate that these are the words I will hear until the day I die.