But First . . . Tea.

Tea is the elixir of life. Lao Tzu

Since tea was introduced to China in 206 BC, tea has crushed it. Buddist monks sat with it in meditation, believing if you really want to brew tea well, you must learn to be an authentic person first. They used the magically delicious stuff to recover from fatigue, cultivate self and mind alertness. Well played. Once thought medicinal, tea is a ticket to better spirit. In fact, as Frances Hardinge said, “Tea is the magic key to the vault where my brain is kept.” Ding, ding, ding! We have a brain fog winner!

Like life, especially in these confusing, divided, scary times, sometimes tea is bitter; sometimes sweet. Though Alexander Pope seemed to think there was a connection between tea and loneliness, for me it’s been a calming companion, and the break that refreshes and soothes. Bringing peeps together to embrace the smallest moments, calm belly aches and anxiety is reason enough to make it as often as possible.

Tea is to the body what music is to the soul. Earlene Grey

Eleanor Roosevelt said “A woman is like a tea bag. You can’t tell how strong she is until you put her in hot water.” And I’ve been in enough hot water to know that if you don’t steep those magical leaves long enough or the water isn’t hot enough to bring out its essence, the brew is only a weak imitation of what it was meant to be. Like those many aromatic cups of tea, it was the love, sharing, and communion of minds and hearts that made me more of who I was supposed to be.

More Mad Hatter than Zen, I agree that “Yes, it’s always tea time.”