Tea Time

That’s my tea shelf.  I actually have a few more ginger, lemon, fruity, herbal tea strays in my other cabinets too, I think they may wonder around at night when the pantry doors are closed.  Suffice to say, we have a lot of tea.  Some black, but most are decaffeinated or herbal, because you know, if want a jolt you should be drinking coffee or as my redneck would prefer, popping open a can of monster.  I was reminded by a dear friend of long standing (that’s what you say instead of “old” friend) of the need for a virtual tea break.  Sometimes our lives can feel so full to the brim that we hardly believe we have time to boil water.  Which is usually when we really need to take a minute and remember that everything can steep for just a little while as we collect our thoughts.  Or no thought, as the case may be.

I use teas for medicine as much as I do pleasure or fellowship.  I sent this picture in an email this morning with my bubble gum guru metaphores about the line of teas help us to remember that there are endless possibilities.  And of course, just when we think we “know” what’s in there … we find another tea way in the back that we forgot that we had.  I call it tea bag tag wisdom or bubble gum guru not to imply the words are shallow or empty, but rather that I know anything I say is only a pointer to the greater Truth which I trust people will see through the tea leaves.

In my previous life as a bright educated woman working with high technology, we use to have “tea” on campus on a regular basis.  It was a long and honored tradition, which I am quite sure still goes on today.  It was a time where we could all take a short break, even if it was only to grab a cookie as we walked from the Humanities Building to Steele Hall in between classes.  Tea was free and open to everyone and everyone was encouraged to stop what they were doing and take a moment to enjoy the company of the community.  Our campus was lovely that way, always fostering the concept of coming together.  And in truth, anytime you can take off your career cap and talk about walking your dog or sewing a sweater or on our campus it was more like making a sweater for your dog … you were able to really connect on a personal level.  Those informal networking opportunities helped us create an infrastructure of alliances that proved invaluable as we pioneered new ventures and blazed trails for future projects.

The art and act of high tea has perhaps become supplanted by our social networking vine.  And the fast food coffee houses where we can get out of the house and plug in our laptop so we can connect with more people in the ether as opposed to in the flesh.  Of course the technology web of friends and fiction is such a blessing for my life, as I am unable to get out even to enjoy a Starbucks espresso while typing on my tablet.  So I’m not taunting the dog to bite my hand, because I know too well the bitch that is karma.  What I wanted to suggest is that there was something so crucial to the fabric of our lives when we were able to take a break and share a smile with our iVilliage.

Now it seems much of our “community” interaction is trying to find new spam to defend our position against the latest political red flag (or blue state) that has us high on our soap box summit.  I say this of course with soap bubbles bursting all around me, because I am too frequently drawn in to the drama and distraction of the tea party machine myself.

And yet, no matter how far we have drifted from our high tea history, we can still take just even this small moment to have a virtual cup of tea.  Simply because we are worth it, whatever it may be.

So pour a cup of hot water and choose your tea.
The warm brew reminds us to breath in … deeply.
The steam vanishing into the air helps us remember to let go.
And of course the warmth of the mug in our palms tells us that we are never alone.

Life should be as simple as fixing a cup of tea.
Oh wait … it IS.  🙂