Salty Coffee: An Amazing Love Story

Searching for something on my computer, I came across the following story and wanted to share it with you.  I often get articles such as this, worth saving for a re-read, such as just happened.  When life’s priorities get all out of whack and you seem to be caught up in things that just plain don’t matter in the long run, it is good to read something like this – as it does, at least for me, bring me back to the right perspective, the right attitude of gratitude for the people in mylife who I love and love me.  After all, the true treasures of this universe are you and me.  Is this a true story?  I like to think so.

He met her at a party. She was so beautiful.  Her eyes so blue.   Many guys were chasing after her.  As for him, he was plain and simple and nobody seemed to pay attention to him.  “I just want to say hello,” he thought, “Just hello.”

At the end of the party, he invited her to have coffee with him.  She was taken by surprise but to be polite she nodded and said, “Sure.”  They walked silently to the coffee shop down the street.  He was too nervous to say anything and she simply felt uncomfortable and thought, “Gees, why did I say yes?  Just let me go home.”

Too late, they arrived at the coffee shop and sat at a table by the window. It was very busy and crowded.  As soon as they were seated a waiter standing nearby came over and filled their cups and turned around to leave.  The man said, “Excuse me,” to the waiter, “Would you please get me some salt for my coffee.”

Everybody stared at him. How strange! His face turned red, but still, he put the salt in his coffee and drank it. She asked him curiously; why you have salt in your coffee? He
replied, “When I was a little boy, I lived near the sea, I like playing in the sea, 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 hometown so much. I miss my parents who still live there.”

As he spoke tears filled his eyes and she was deeply touched, thinking to herself, “That’s his true feelings, from the bottom of his heart; a man who can share his homesickness.  He must be a man who loves home, cares about his home and has strong ties to it.”

Then she also started to speak,  talking about her faraway hometown, her childhood and her family. They had a really nice talk and it was a beautiful beginning to their story.

They continued to date. She found that he was actually a man who met all her expectations.  He was tolerant, kind-hearted, ware and caring.  He was such a good person and she drew in a gasping breath thinking how she had almost missed the opportunity to know him!  But she didn’t, thanks to his salty coffee!

The story ended just like every beautiful love story.  The princess married the prince, then they lived happily ever after. And, every time she made coffee for him, she put  salt in it because she knew that was the way he liked it.

They had been together for 40 years when he passed away.  He left her a letter that read,

“My dearest, please forgive me, I have been lying to you about something for my whole life.  It was the only lie I ever told you, and it was about the salty coffee.

Remember the first time we dated? I was so nervous at that time that when I asked the waiter for salt for my coffee, I had intended to ask for sugar!  It was hard for me to
change it, so I just went ahead and drank my first cup of salty coffee!  Never in my wildest imaginations did I think that such a cup of bitterness would be the beginning of our first conversation and a lifetime together!  I tried so many times to tell you the truth, but was afraid to because I also remembered our promise to one another that we would never lie.

Now I am dying and I am afraid of nothing – for I am going away and the greatest fear I had was losing you.  The truth is I do not like salty coffee, in fact I dislike it immensely.  Really dear, how could you think anyone would like salty coffee; you are such a peculiar, gentle and loving woman.  You accept people for who they are, and yes, even what they like

Having you with me is the biggest thrill of my whole life. If I can live a second time around, I would still want to know you and have you for the rest of my life, even if I have to drink the salty coffee again.”

Her tears had soaked the letter.

One day, someone asked her how the salty coffee tasted and she told them it was very sweet.

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

Don’t ever leave the one you love for the one you like because the one you like will leave you for the one they love.

Forget the things that make you sad. Remember the things that make you glad.