During my trip to Italy, one of the things I appreciated every morning was a good, bold, wholesome cup of coffee. The awakening aroma, the velvety crema, the flavor notes that intrigued my taste buds—these set the tone for the rest of the day.

One morning, as I was conversing with a local barista named Matteo, I learned that the “Americano” was actually created in Italy during World War II. American soldiers, accustomed to their drip coffee, found Italian espresso too strong. They asked the barista to fill up the cup with more water to make it more palatable.

“It’s the same espresso, my friend. You just like to dilute it with water—like you Americans do with everything,” Matteo said with a smile on his face. While I appreciated the history, I hadn’t anticipated the implicit cultural bias. I think Matteo noticed that and quickly tried to amend his comment. “No pun meant, brother. It’s still good coffee—even with added water,” he backtracked.

Matteo’s comment about diluting everything with water made me reflect on the two distinct cultures I embody—Armenian and American—and their different expressions. As Armenians, we often like to condense emotions, dramatize, and overthink. As Americans, we tend to deflect and minimize. One might be quick to judge and label these tendencies as right or wrong, but they are simply different expressions, each “palatable” in its own cultural context.

Just as we choose to drink espresso on some days and Americano on others, our stance in life—our approach to conversations, situations, and relationships—must be titrated carefully, without compromising our core values. Some days we may joke about politics; other days, we may engage in heated debate. Sometimes we may like to philosophize; other times, we may want to take things lightly. At times we may dramatize life; at others, we may downplay it. Sometimes life may feel like a comedy, other times like a tragedy.

This is beautifully captured in the Holy Scriptures: “For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.” Psalm 30:5

Whether we prefer espresso or Americano, whether we wake up somber or easygoing, let us not lose the taste of life in every cup God fills for us.