Last week, the article was early. This week, it’s late. My apologies. As I was putting this together, something didn’t make sense. Eventually, I realized I was merging two concepts that needed to be separated. That done, here you go!
The Retirement Speech
Thank you, everyone, for coming today. Let me tell you a story.
There was once a set of four jet-black, two-ounce espresso cups. At great cost to the buyer, they came to me as a gift along with my first espresso machine. Can you say, “Heaven on earth?”
Where most people might make an espresso or two on the weekends, I was never satisfied with less than 4 or 5 double espressos a day. I had my own machine – I could do that! Unfortunately, my excitement had transformed an expensive home-use espresso machine into something resembling a commercial unit. After a little more than a year, it pumped its last crema.
Since then, I have bought three more espresso machines. I have also tempered my enthusiasm. But throughout these many years, those four cups captured the liquid gold every day. One by one, however, they each met their demise. Tiny ceramic cups also have a shelf life. Today, there remains only one. After serving me well for nearly 25 years, this survivor is retiring today, January 21, 2026.
But I’m looking deeper.
This cup is the last vestige of a sacrificial gift from a person of extreme importance.
At the start of every day, it served a fresh-ground caffeinated delight along with the reminder of that original sacrifice. Over the years, the daily ritual afforded deep emotions that live in my heart. As I celebrate this sorrowful milestone, its priceless value sits center stage.
This simple but elegant ceramic cup will be retired but never discarded.
With the smudges, stains, and scars of useful service, this inanimate object lives and honors the GIVER in perpetuity. I hold its memory in my heart with enormous gratitude for this symbolic representation of extraordinary love.
And now, to our guest of honor: Today, surrounded by the next shift, I’ll focus my comments on you.
Do you remember the day you came to live with me? You were so proud of that deep ebony sheen, bright, untested, and yet confident that you could do the job. And, with your 3 friends, you worked through those early experiments. You know, the comedy of errors (over and over) that taught me how this whole espresso thing works. LOL. I remember, too.
All great sports, you were. Never teasing, never chastising, never complaining, you just let those mistakes roll from your base to the lip with grace and the attitude of, “Go ahead. Try again!” I did. I got better. Thanks to you!
And then, over the years, you stood strong as, one by one, your friends departed. A slippery moment sent one spinning onto the floor. The others endured less violent but effective accidents, taking them out of service. Those losses must have been devastating for you. Yet you continued to absorb the hits, minor scratches, and unfortunate mishaps during service to the java.
More than you’d like to admit, you must have thought, “So this is what the last time feels like.”
You survived, and we are delighted that you made it to this day of celebration.
I am grateful for what you’ve taught me. And let’s not make that statement generic. Let me count the ways:
Of course, patience and encouragement (1 Thessalonians 5:11) have already been mentioned. I wish I could verbalize how that helped form me. You didn’t give up on me. You made me into the Barista I am today. (In this case, “Barista” is a noun of my own definition.)
But there’s also that humility. Sure, the gift was huge, and you were but a small part, at least on a surface examination. But you never considered yourself insignificant. Uncomplaining, you stood by your job, and no cup could have done it better. No matter where we are in this life, we have the capacity to do as you did. We can choose to stand proud and do our job well – “as if working for the Lord.” Colossians 3:23-24.
I certainly won’t forget your generosity. You see, service to another is a prime example of generosity. The choice to give of one’s time and attention can be the most important thing one cup (person) can do for another. I hope to live up to your example. Galatians 6:1-2
I know that you were the least expensive part of that spectacular gift. But you knew that you had value, that each part has value. You made me realize that wherever we are placed, each of us contributes to the whole - that we have value to the world and to the Kingdom of God.
There’s much more, but for today, I’ll end with gratefulness. I don’t know how many thousands of ‘shots’ you carried for me. But I want you to know that for each one, I am eternally grateful. Every day started with your service, and that made every day better. I reach for it, but I will never manage the proper level of gratitude. I can only say, “thank you!” with every cell in my body. 1 Timothy 4:4-5
Congratulations on your retirement. Let’s celebrate with cake, ice cream, and well, espresso, anyone?
z
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