I still remember that day. She arrived nervously, with that funny way she has of twirling her hair between her fingers so as not to look anxious.

I opened the door, she sat down on the couch. I asked her what the problem was, and she smiled as she asked me how I knew there was a problem?

We've been friends since we were kids, we've gone through all our stages together. We know each other better than anyone else. We like the same things, well! Almost all of them. I'm a crazy coffee lover and my friend doesn't like coffee.

She got up to make chamomile tea for herself and coffee for me, while telling me what was going on. She told me she wanted to ask someone out.

I felt a little uncomfortable. It's not easy to watch your best friend go out with someone. You always have that fear that someone might hurt her. But, I listened attentively.

She told me she was coming to me because her date was a coffee lover and she wasn't. She wanted to know if that date was worth the risk? If that guy would accept her for not sharing that crazy love of coffee.

I was very surprised that she felt insecure about herself. She is an amazing girl that any guy should feel happy and lucky that she would consider him for a date.

I told her that she should not feel ashamed of her tastes and that for nothing in the world should she change the way she is. I told her she should take a chance and if this guy was the one she would love to date and enjoy an afternoon of tea and coffee.

He kindly approached me with my cup of coffee. I stood watching the foam swirl in the cup, it's something I've always enjoyed. As I approached the cup, floating in the middle of the foam I could see the reflection of his face. Then I knew.

I stood up. I took a piece of paper from my desk and with a pen I wrote her my recommendation for that date. I handed the little note into her small, soft hands. As she finished her cup of tea she opened it and read it aloud:

Risk with me.

She smiled and ran into my arms. We melted into an embrace that will last through time. That was more than 60 years ago when this story of love, tea and coffee began.

Today his life is over. I am not sad, I feel fortunate to have had such a wonderful companion who filled every second of my life with the love and mischief of children.

I feel lucky because she took a chance on me. And although today she is leaving for another plane, I know that where she is today she is waiting for me to continue our wonderful story that began hidden among the coffee cougar.