When I was younger, I had absolutely no problem partaking in a variety of risky pursuits. Whether it was repelling off 400′ high pedestrian bridges, drinking until I pass out, or smoking enough to put a medicine man in a coma, I really didn’t think much about the consequences.
As I got older, the less those types of pursuits attracted me. While I’d like to say that the reason is that I’m wiser, the truth is that I just don’t recover as well. I’ve given up a lot of things that are not necessarily good for me, including drinking coffee. I’ve consumed caffeine in one or another for going on 30 years, but now it just plays havoc with my body. I still drink black tea and it has much less of an impact on me than coffee did. I have the energy without the crash or the extra acid in my stomach.
Though some days I can still feel the jones. Today I woke up craving a strong black coffee. I resisted, but the craving was so strong I could actually smell coffee brewing. Could have been the next door neighbors, but it could just as likely been my overactive imagination.