Sara Ann O'Sullivan

Funny enough, the one stable thing in this whirlwind of activity has been… coffee. I still look forward to my morning cup and that sweet little boost in the afternoon. I accidentally bought decaf the other day, and now sometimes I sip that in the late afternoons too — a surprise treat that doesn’t ruin my sleep schedule.

I’m a big adventurer when it comes to drinks — I’ll show up for a new tea, a lemonade I’ve never heard of, something fancy like butterfly pea lemonade or a version of chai with a twist. But nothing beats the feeling of a classic iced black coffee with just the right amount of ice. It’s simple. Familiar. Grounding.

As some of you know, I’ve been working on a new poetry book — aiming for a May release. The theme? Homesickness. You know I love my poetic titles like The Quiet Voice of Courage and others. I’d planned to write a book about love (and I still will, someday soon), but when I tried, it didn’t sit right.

Because where am I right now? I’m feeling love from a distance — across seas and time zones. I’m clinging to the little things that remind me of the people I love, trying to soften that ache in my chest. And coffee has become one of those things.

That’s when I realized: this is a book. A book about homesickness. Because we’ve all felt it in some form, and no one really talks about how it makes the small things feel so big. Like how a simple cup of coffee somehow doesn’t taste quite the same as the one your mom used to make.

So wheter it be, coffee that calls to your heart that way it does to me, or a tv show or a scent or even a favorite song. I hope we all have something we can hold on too and smile to ourselves as it reminds us of the people who care.

And if it doesn’t remind you of people, then I hope that it reminds you to love yourself. Sometimes studying and being in a program like medical makes you distance yourself from yourself. And that another kind of homesickness. So if you are even in that postition, I hope you too can find that stuff that makes you feel like you.

To end on a cozy note — if you’re looking to try something new, here’s a sweet little recipe I made for a friend’s birthday when I was low on time but still wanted to share something meaningful: https://www.crazyforcrust.com/single-serve-mug-coffee-cake/

Thanks for being on this wild, caffeinated, heartfelt adventure with me.