Growing up, coffee was a foreign concept in my household. My family, like many in their generation, were not familiar with coffee or what it does to the body. In fact, the beverage we were exposed to, which we made our choice was tea/chocolate and this was often served every morning as our breakfast. The beverage was also served at family gatherings and when there is an occassion with other people.
Coffee was never mentioned or discussed as my mind would recollect and I didn't even know what it tasted like until I got to the university.
As young as I was then, I usually get curious whenever I see my grandpa taking kolanuts, my dad too. Little did I know that kolanut was their secret stimulant. I remember my Dad telling I and my siblings that kolanut was only for elders which we grew up to believe and would never try to take a bite from, even though I tasted it one day and quickly spat it out because of how bitter it was.
With this belief that it is only the elders that can eat kolanut, we never bothered about it again until later I realized that was just a ruse. My dad would chew kolanut to stay awake during late night projects, whether he was fixing his speakers and engines for events or working on a new idea, like composing songs as he was a fuji musician then.
I recall him telling me one day that kolanut helped him focus and stay awake and alert much like coffee does for many people today. It was his go-to snack when he needed an energy boost and it served him well.
Flashing back, I chortle at how he thought kolanut was meant for elders alone, but I understand now that it was just his way of deriving pleasure at a stimulant that was familiar to him.
As a child, I remember how my parents would emphasize the importance of healthy living and warn us about the dangers of taking unknown substances. They taught and encouraged us to stick to what we knew and loved like tea and other traditional drinks. Coffee was not part of our family's culture or tradition and we didn't feel like we were missing out on anything, in this case — coffee.
When I got to the university, everything changed. I would get shocked when friends and other students would hype coffee to be a great energy booster, especially when reading for exams. I decided to try it out after I was done with my degree studies and was active on the Hive blockchain. I needed to try it out myself and confirm if what people are saying about it was true.
My first experience made coffee an integral part of my daily routine and I discovered its stimulating effects. I was amazed at how it made stay awake at night and helped me achieve all I set out to do without feeling tired. My siblings had similar experiences and we would often joke about how our parents were oblivious to the coffee revolution happening in our lives.
Looking back, I realized that my parents' attitude towards coffee was not born out of ignorance but rather not being exposed to it. They grew up in a different time when coffee was not as popular as it is today and is now available everywhere. I believe their skepticism was rooted in a desire to protect us from taking into our body unknown substances and I appreciate their true concern.
Today, I appreciate how my parents didn't know about coffee even if it meant I discovered it later in life. Their emphasis on healthy living and inculating in us traditional values has taught me to bask in the euphoria of the simple things and not take anything for granted. When I eventually introduced coffee to my dad sometime last year, he was surprised by its rich flavor and stimulating effects and knowing that there is another powerful stimulant different from kolanut.
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It is good that you have the joy of knowing this elixir of the gods, better late than never because it is almost impossible to get rid of it once you have tasted it.
Greetings
Yes. Better late than never. And I am glad knowing this amazing beverage that works wonder. Thanks for your comment.
When he is not little, they always mention some drinks or products that are not very good to drink at that age and even more so when our father says it, without a doubt over time one realizes it and makes the decision to try it or not, but it is something that one does oneself and this is where this great drink such as coffee comes in, where it is perfect for recharging energy and reaching a point where one cannot live without it.
Yes. We can't know something until we try it ourselves to clear our doubts. Coffee is a perfect booster and now, it has become my daily routine.
I wonder why some parents always tell us one thing is not good for children, my parents also said same thing. Mine always stopped us from taking coconut water, they said if shildrem take coconut water they won't have brains.
Yes. And that moment, we always believe them until we are proven the opposite and then coming across those things we were told not to take, it makes us laugh at how we have believed them so blindly. Of course, they were right then.
Yes they were right as we didn't know anything then.
I do it sometimes for my children too although it's not as bad as my parents own was.
Hey there!
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This is an interesting story and I think you're right about your parents reservations about the beverage.
Kola nut is something new to me, from what I've just googled:)
Yes. Kolanut has been used for a very long time and it's a snack we weren't made to even taste as kids but only meant for elders. They say elders that have more experienced living on earth take kolanut to keep their brain fresh. Hahaha
Thanks for your comment.
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Many students and young adults depend on coffee to sustain them, especially during exams as it helps them to stay awake when preparing for exam. It should therefore be taken responsible.offee
Yes. Even while we take this drink to keep us awake and active, we should drink it moderately and responsibly. Thank you 😊
I have a similar experience with kola nut. It helped me a lot during my undergraduate studies. It helped me to control my sleep and give me mental alertness. I think I need to join the coffee geng now, 😂.
#dreemerforlife
Hahaha. Please do. There are the ones that doesn't have caffeine just like the one I bought.
This
Sorry for the late reply too.
Okay, dear.
No problem. Cheers!!!
I won’t say this out loud but I’ve never tried coffee and that’s because naturally, I’m nocturnal…hehe and very active and hyper
I feel like trying it will make me go days without sleeping.
#dreemerforlife
Hahaha. I love active people. There are some times I am always active too without taking anything to help me and other times, I take coffee aside the regular taking of it.
Oh okay
Hehe Princess got all the vices at Uni! Seriously though I was the same, we had tea tea and more tea. It was only at Uni as the tea was so awful did I start drinking and getting addicted to coffee.
Popped in from dreemport tonight, #dreemerforlife
Haha 😄 yea, tea tea and tea....at some point, we got tired that I don't drink it much now. But everything changed at the Uni and now, it's something I can't do without.
Thank you for popping in, Teng 😊
The fortunate part is that kolanut also contains a volume of caffeine in it that's why it keeps them awake, like you rightly said most of our parents never knew what coffee can do in the body.
#dreemerforlife
Yea. I grew up to know that kolanut also works like coffee.