Do You Have a Favorite Mug?
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Many years ago I worked for a flooring contractor. He had a favorite mug and a favorite pen and you’d better not touch either one if you knew what was good for you. One day when I arrived at work things were unusually quiet - everyone was in their office with the door closed. I went into the break room to check out the donut situation and there on the counter was John’s mug with its handle lying next to it. I too made a beeline for my own office and closed the door. What an up roar followed!
So many of us start our day with a cup of coffee in our favorite mug. Or we keep our favorite mug on our desk at work and use it throughout the day. But what makes a mug a favorite mug? Why do we reach for a particular one when we open the cupboard?
Over the years I’ve watched many people choose a mug. They try out the handle for just the right fit, they balance the weight of it by kind of shaking it up and down and then they put both hands around it and bring it close to their heart. Why do we do these things? I think it has to do with handmade objects connecting us as humans. There is something very special about holding something that has been shaped with care, by hand – you can almost feel where the maker’s fingers were on the piece, where they applied pressure, where they smoothed out an edge, how they beveled a curve.
When you think about it, a mug is a pretty intimate object; we put it against our lips, which is a very personal way to touch something. When we hold a mug close to our heart, it’s almost like the warm mug is providing some sort of comfort - in addition to holding our beverage it's giving us a hug.
I hope all my mugs become chosen favorites. I try to make them comfortable to hold, well balanced and often I add a little frog companion to keep you company and make you smile. Having a mug made by hand with care and attention and love connects us together. I think that is quite an achievement for a simple coffee mug.
When you open the cupboard is there one particular mug you reach for?
What makes it special to you?
