He met her at a party. She was so outstanding, many guys chasing after her, while he so normal, nobody paid attention to him. At the end of the party, he invited her to have coffee with him, she was surprised, but due to being polite, she promised.
*
They sat at a nice coffee shop, he was too nervous to say anything, she felt uncomfortable, she thought, please; let me go home.... suddenly he asked the waiter. "Would you please give me some salt? I'd like to put it in my coffee." Everybody stared at him, so strange! His face turned red, but still, he put the salt in his coffee and drank it.
*
She asked him curiously; why he had this hobby? He replied: "when I was a little boy, I was living near the sea, I liked playing in the sea, and I could feel the taste of the sea, just like the taste of the salty coffee. Now every time I have the salty coffee, I always think of my childhood, think of my hometown, I miss my hometown so much I miss my parents who are still living there". While saying that tears filled his eyes. She was deeply touched.
*
That was his true feelings, from the bottom of his heart. A man who can express his homesickness must be a man who loves his home, cares about home, and has responsibility for his home. Then she too started to speak, spoke about her faraway hometown, her childhood, her family. That was a really nice talk, a beautiful beginning of their story.
*
They continued to date. She found out that he actually was the man who met all her demands; he had tolerance, was kind hearted, warm, careful. He was such a good person but she almost missed him! Thanks to his salty coffee! Then the story was just like every beautiful love story, the princess married to the prince, and then they lived a happy life... And, every time she made coffee for him, she put some salt in the coffee, as she knew that?s the way he liked it.
*
After 40 years, he passed away, left her a letter which said: "My dearest please forgives me, forgive the lie of my life. This was the only lie I ever said to you---the salty coffee. Remember the first time we dated? I was so nervous that time, I actually wanted some sugar, but I said salt instead. It was too embarrasing for me to take back so I just went ahead I never thought that could be the start of our communication! I tried to tell you the truth many times but I was too afraid to do so as I had promised never to lie to you about anything...Now I'm dying, I'm afraid of nothing so I am telling you the truth: I don't like salty coffee, what a strange bad taste.. I have had to take the salty coffee for my whole life with you and never had to feel sorry for it because I did it for you.
*
Having you with me is the biggest happiness in my entire life. If I could live a second time, I'd still want to know you and have you for my whole life, even if I if had to drink salty coffee again". Her tears made the letter totally wet.
*
One day someone asked her: what's the taste of salty coffee? It's sweet. She replied. Love is not to forget but to forgive, not to see but to understand, not to hear but to listen, not to let go but to HOLD ON. Don't ever leave the one you love for the one you like, because the one you like will leave you for the one they love.