Fifty Cups of Coffee #32: Andrea Lee
Date: November 21, 2024
Location: Cadejo Coffee, Portland, Oregon
How we know each other
Andrea and I went to high school together, but we didn’t become friends until after she graduated from high school and we both worked at a local restaurant, Wall Street Pizza. She was the maid of honor at my wedding, was the first friend to meet my daughter after she was born at the hospital, and is still one of my dearest friends.
What Andrea is doing now
Andrea lives in Portland, Oregon with her husband Ben. She spends her days as a caretaker, working on self-care and care for others. She’s the best!
Three questions
During these Fifty Cups of Coffee chats, I ask each person the same three questions. The reasoning behind each is as follows:
Question 1 – Social media makes it easy for other people to think that they know us, when truthfully, we all only see a small sliver of someone’s life and who they really are. This is the interviewee’s chance to share something that is important to them that, for whatever reason, other people may not know.
Question 2 – We all have fears, no matter who are are or where we are in life. This helps connect us and show we are all more alike than we are different.
Question 3 – I believe the answer to this question helps show each person’s true values, passions, and their why in life.
There are no right or wrong answers to any of these. I’m including each person’s answers in first person. Their answers have been edited from my notes for length and clarity, but these are their words.
What is one thing you wish more people knew about you?
“I wish people knew that I generally mean well. People don’t always know that. They may wonder ‘why is she saying that?’ I wish more people knew when I say things, I generally mean well, even though it may come across harsher than I mean it to.”
What is your deepest fear?
“For me, my deepest fear is being unable to take care of myself and others. The inability to perform my job – to take good care of myself and good care of my loved ones – to not have the mental incapacity to do that is terrifying.”
If you had unlimited funds, what would you do with your life?
“I’d dress better. I’d travel better. My friends would get more expensive gifts. My house would be paid off. I’d probably give a lot of money away. If you have unlimited funds, you’d fund the things you care about, the things that are important to you.”
What I’ve Learned
Here are some of the things I’ve learned and some takeaways from our coffee chat.
- People generally mean well. I think Andrea’s answer to the first question is something a lot of us can relate to. Miscommunication often occurs when the person on the receiving end and the person on the speaking end just happen to communicate differently. We all bring our own personal experiences to every conversation, so it’s a good reminder to give people grace before jumping to conclusions.
- Self-care is Job #1. In line with the analogy of putting on your oxygen mask before helping others, or not being able to pour from an empty cup, taking care of our mental, emotional, and physical health is Job #1. Andrea has always been a thoughtful caregiver to friends and family, and I am so glad she is taking time now to make her own health a priority.
Thank you for taking the time to chat with me for this project, Andrea!
Learn more about Andrea
Andrea has almost no digital footprint: no social media, no websites. So I am honored to be able to share a bit about her here so the rest of the world can get a glimpse of how special she is.
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