“I love you to the moon and back and back again.” That is what my daughter Scarlet and I would say to each other when we read her the bedtime story “Guess How Much I Love You.”

I am flying back to Chicago after a long coffee trip to Brazil. I am weary, but happy. Each day I was in Brazil I was either cupping on the international jury for the 2008 Cup of Excellence or visiting coffee farms (and cupping) all over the states of Minas Gerias and Sao Paulo. In ten days I visited 12 farms, some more thoroughly than others.

Each day was full of coffee and I got to see many friends from all over the world. I was glad to see them. I met with the growers that provide us some of the best coffees in Brazil and the world. I was so glad to see them too. There were many meals together; lodging of varied quality, and long car rides in crowded quarters. I also had a ride in a helicopter that took three of us over a beautiful coffee growing area, a heavily forested ridge, and then floating, dreamlike into the vast hazed skyline of Sao Paulo. It was so beautiful; I cannot possibly capture it in written word. It goes without saying that I got to know some people better.

Almost every night, on a far from perfect internet connection, I would call Emily and Scarlet on Skype so we could talk and at least get a look at each other. In this way they got a tour of my hotel room or the hotel lobby (very cool in Pocos de Caldas), and I could catch up and see what was new at home. I really missed them. Inevitably Scarlet would say or do something sweet and charming and that would make me miss them even more.

I am glad to be going home. As my plane clips the southern end of the Amazon, I consider myself lucky to not be a victim of what can be the all-consuming allure of coffee, which leads many to more than a little personal wreckage.

So, for the never-ending marvel that continues to be a life in coffee and the friends I have met and made in far flung places, I love you to the moon. For Emily and Scarlet and all of the support you have provided in smooth and turbulent times, I love you to the moon and back and back again… at least.

I want to clarify something. Apparently my last post sounded a little dark, which was not my intention. When I said the human spirit could be “stunning and complicated,” I meant stunning in that it can so often surprise you with kindness in unexpected places. I meant complicated in that we bring so much of our experience of the past and hope for the future to each new interaction.

Tonight at 2 AM we invite a little more darkness into our lives as daylight savings comes to an end. To me the end of daylight savings signals the inevitable coming of winter and cold coziness for the Northern Hemisphere.

Although it may seem, well, dark, this darkness can have much about it that is positive. (I want to clarify this does not include dark roasted coffee for those smarties who might be dying to fire off a comment.) It signals the upcoming holiday season where we get that chance to see some old pals and family, break out our cold weather gear, and enjoy the chaos/pleasantness that is found at this time. While wearing some sort of fuzzy fleece and socks, we will wake up early with a house full of family, rubbing our eyes over that first cup of life-saving coffee. Man, what a great time of year. As they say, it is always darkest before the dawn.