Wherever you are drinking your tea
Whether at work,
in a cafe,
or at home,
it is wonderful to allow
enough time to appreciate it.
~Thich Nat Hahn
I take this writing to heart. Over the past few years, I find that I don't drink tea much at work anymore. The reason is that I don't have time to be with the tea. The flavor and subtleties are lost on me as I focus on the screen and my tasks. Instead, I drink an herbal brew and reserve my special teas for when I have the space to appreciate them. Oh, if I really need a caffeine pick-me-up, I may pull out something. And I have a few nice teas for the rare times when I'm chatting uninterrupted with a colleague or taking a quiet break. But mostly, I wait to drink tea when it can have more of my attention.
Has your tea drinking changed over time? How so?
Yes, I also find that as I drink more oolong teas, I want to drink them with the time to really appreciate. Plus, they keep on going forever with that little pot!
ReplyDeleteI think the biggest change for me is that I no longer save "the good tea" for later, and instead I tend to drink it now. I think because I'm about to turn 50 (!), I'm very aware of time's passing and thinking more about milking every bit of enjoyment out of life that I can!
ReplyDeleteAngela - I'm working on that one, too!
ReplyDeleteI also do drink the good tea.
ReplyDeleteThinking about how it has changed since retiring. I don't often drink tea in a teabag any longer. At work I always kept teabag tea for a quick pick me up, then drank it in a mug. Rarely drink from a mug any longer. So I guess I now do make it more of a ritual or an occasion to savor.