We’ve been together for four years. Our relationship has been through thick and thin, but lately we’ve hit a rough patch from which there is no recovery.

It’s time for me to break up with my coffee maker.

Trust me, it’s easier said than done. My coffee maker has always been there supplying me with hot, caffeinated nectar of life and I’ve grown quite attached to it.

First, it’s pink. Who else has a pink coffee maker?

Second, it was a graduation present from one of my best friends who also shares my love of coffee.

Through late nights, early mornings and middle-of-the-day pick-me-ups, my coffee maker has never failed me. Until now.

The plastic clasps that hold the bowl in place have snapped off. I have place a heavy object on top of the lid to keep it in place while the pot fills up. Recently, whenever I try to brew a fresh pot of java, the faint scent of smoke wafts through the kitchen. I fear the appliance is threatening to combust.

Just throwing it out and buying a new one isn’t that easy because it’s not just any coffee maker.

Choosing a new coffee maker is almost an art form. There are numerous brands, models, sizes and colors. I could spend anything from $20 to more than $100.

When I found myself at Walmart comparing prices on coffee makers (and feeling downright treacherous) I realized why the decision-making was so hard.

After four years of college, my life is about to be turned upside down. I’ll be graduating in May which means moving out of my apartment, finding a new job, possibly moving to a new city or a new state. The future is so uncertain that I’m trying to hold on to as much consistency as possible.

I’m beginning to realize the importance of decision making. It’s time to be assertive and separate the big decisions from the little ones. Buying a new coffee maker? It’s not a lifetime commitment. Just pick one.

As for the big decisions, I can’t just jump into them, but that doesn’t mean I can’t have some fun while making them. The future is daunting, but it’s still an adventure.

Sounds like I’ll need a lot of coffee.