While yesterday’s dot considered many of the steps that occur in the food chain as they relate to safety, A. J. Jacobs thought about all the people it took to make his cup of coffee possible and approached the topic from a perspective of gratitude. Jacobs set out to thank all those who contributed to his morning cup of java and ended up thanking over 1000 people from all around the world.
If you think about who is involved in providing AJ’s coffee you may list a barista, trucker or farmer – but his list included those who made the asphalt for the road the trucks drove on, the person who provides pest control for the bean storage warehouse and the architect who built it, the person who invented the coffee cup lid and those who made the bean-harvesting machine in Brazil.
Jacobs notes that when something is done well, the process behind it is largely invisible. We don’t spend much time thinking about those who make our food or infrastructure or way of life possible, but focusing intentionally on doing so allows us to savor the experience more fully. As Jacob says, take time to “smell the roses. And the dirt. And the fertilizer.”
Thanks, Brian!
See AJ Jacobs’ TED Talk here
