Grace Notes

a blog about life’s everyday magic

November 17, 2018

The Power of The Mug

Words: Alexis Larimer
Photo credit: Gaelle Marcel

Every morning I quietly slip downstairs, sometimes with my 4-year-old niece in tow, and open up the large cabinets as my eyes fall directly to the middle shelf. I have seen them all before, but today is a new day with new emotions, and I desire to feel the stir of something new. I yawn as I study the cups before me, all the while assessing my current mood for the morning.

My dainty white mug with raised ridge circles covering it is for the days I desire to feel simple, elegant, and womanly all at the same time. The pastel pink mug with faint speckles is for the cozy moments when I begin the day wearing one of my favorite knit cardigans. I can always envision the joy I will feel while pulling it close to me as my sweater in turn holds me. There is the chrome zigzag coffee cup as well. What it might be lacking aesthetically it makes up for with a tilted lip that easily forms to my lips, which makes my morning read all the more enjoyable. I can easily continue to read without so much as a glance up.

As a self-proclaimed minimalist I pride myself in finding renewed delight within a small collection of coffee cups, but my eyes are ever on the lookout for the next cup that might just be the daily inspiration I am seeking. I might be alone in my morning routine, but I would like to believe there are others out there who enjoy the small moments in life just as much as I do, and maybe, just maybe, they start out each morning picking out their perfect coffee cup too.

Alexis Larimer is an aspiring jewelry designer and entrepreneur who loves harnessing the simple everyday moments in life. You will often find her with her cat curled up in her lap, or on her Instagram (@thelexline).

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Comments ( 16 )

  1. Lola M

    April 19, 2023 at 4:25 pm

    Mugs matter! I am holding my plain white mug with the thin edge and light touch. I feel softer around my edges when I use it and coffee with a little cream tastes smoother.

  2. Diane

    April 19, 2023 at 4:25 pm

    I love that. I have certain mugs for certain days as well. They do bring just the right kind of comfort you need.

  3. Yvonne

    April 19, 2023 at 4:25 pm

    I get you! I do the same thing. Sometimes if my husband is fixing our drinks, he’ll ask me which mug I want. And sometimes I’ll tell him to surprise me.

  4. Sandra at Thistle Cove Farm

    April 19, 2023 at 4:25 pm

    Lovely post about mugs…it’s a daily ritual for me as well.

  5. Terry Gassett

    April 19, 2023 at 4:25 pm

    There is nothing quite like the warmth and steam given off by a favorite mug, and the comfort received as we sip a piping hot beverage from its’ contents! In fact, in honor of your post, I’m going to go make some hot chocolate and pick out a suitable mug to hold it!

  6. Ella Wilson

    April 19, 2023 at 4:25 pm

    I just bought a new mug and adore how it makes me feel~ I enjoyed reading your thoughts! I, too select mugs to suit my mood. Cheers, to enjoying the small moments!

  7. Debra L Allison

    April 19, 2023 at 4:25 pm

    I have several mugs but there are three that I use on a regular basis: a creamy white one with Celtic knots on it and the phrase ” given enough coffee I could control the world. ” It’s 16 oz., big enough for all the coffee I need in the day. Another stoneware mug, fat a mlm d round that feels good in my hands as I sip hot cocoa from it. The third actually can vary, depending on my mood and selection of tea.

  8. Susan Hemann

    April 19, 2023 at 4:25 pm

    lovely post, I too select my mug based on how I’m feeling. I have arthritis n my hands, so I use small mugs. Who knew they would be so hard to find! I have four favorites.

  9. Carolyn Russett

    April 19, 2023 at 4:25 pm

    I do not drink coffee and rarely tea. However I AM a mug person!!! water, juice, go in them and I’m always on the lookout. After a few years I may recycle some old ones to people I know will appreciate them, while I go on to new ones. Never enough room in my cabinet for mugs!

  10. Eileen Elertson

    April 19, 2023 at 4:25 pm

    Love this! I have many mugs for each season. Some old some new. Each day is a choice … sometimes a cozy one for cocoa in the evening while curling up with a good book! (I still like to ‘hold’ my book.)
    Thank you!

  11. Lisa

    April 19, 2023 at 4:25 pm

    Ahhh a soul mate. I too choose my mug based on my mood. Its like choosing an outfit. Is makes you feel a certain way. I tried explaining this to my husband and he just could not grasp why I needed more than one. Thank you for validating my mug collection that isn’t really large but very meaningful.

  12. Judith

    April 19, 2023 at 4:25 pm

    I, too, have special mugs that just must fit my mood! My “thing” with mugs is that it must feel good in my hands and be locally made. Nothing from China, please!

  13. Lindsey Ruiter

    April 19, 2023 at 4:25 pm

    So glad I am not the only one! Feeling validated right now 🙂

  14. Alejandra Irwin

    April 19, 2023 at 4:25 pm

    I change my mug as seasons change. My winter mug was hand made by a man who always comes to a fair in my hometown. I think it is very pretty. A few days ago the handle came off. This is the third time. It slipped out of my nine years old boy’s hand while he was washing the dishes and my 11 years old daughter glued it together. I will get a new one this coming fair and make new memories.

  15. Elaine

    April 19, 2023 at 4:25 pm

    I have seasonal mugs and of course I, too, choose them based on my morning mood and motivation. If I am lingering at home, perhaps on the weekend, the mug will have a design on it. If I have to go to work, I usually opt for a mug with words on it. Funny, I never even thought that much about it before reading your post.

  16. Debbie E

    April 19, 2023 at 4:25 pm

    Coffee cups are like our security blanket. We all have our favorite ones and they help us relieve stress by holding the hotness nestled into my hand. Its comfort in a mug.

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