Upon arriving at my best friend Mike’s house with his favorite coffee—a meticulously crafted caramel macchiato—I found him in his garage, surrounded by canvases and paint supplies. He was in the middle of a painting session, his creative spirit fully immersed in his latest work of art.

“Hey, you’re just in time!” Mike exclaimed as he spotted me with the coffee. His eyes lit up with a mix of gratitude and inspiration. “I’ve been trying to get this scene right all morning, and I could use a break—and a caffeine boost.”

We sat down on a couple of worn-out stools in the corner of the garage, sipping our coffees and catching up on life. Mike’s passion for art always added an interesting layer to our conversations, and today was no exception. After a few moments of talking and laughing, he stood up and walked over to one of the canvases that was leaning against the wall.

“Since you brought me the perfect coffee, I think you deserve a perfect thank you,” he said with a smile. He grabbed the canvas, which was covered with a vibrant mix of blues and greens in an abstract depiction of the ocean. “I want you to have this. You always say you love my work, so it’s time you had a piece of it for yourself.”