Peace in a Mug - My love of tea

Tea has always been a staple in my life from my childhood. My mom always had Lipton Tea Bags in the house, as did my grand-parents home, and every home in New England in the 1960’s and 70’s I think.  Though the adults in my life were big coffee drinkers, there was always tea too.  They drank it with milk and sugar just as they did their coffee. My mom would serve me tea and toast when I was sick, and sometimes on Friday nights as a treat she’d make everyone a cup of hot tea and serve it with Pepperidge Farm apple turnovers.  No one said or thought anything about the caffeine in it back in those days, I never even heard of caffeine. 

Robust with flavor, rich with comfort.

Tea has a strong yet mild flavor all at once. Black tea has a distinct taste to it. When you add the sweetness of sugar and the creaminess of milk, it’s a comforting warm drink that leaves you feeling happy.  That’s the way I remember it as I look back on the context in which it was served to me in my youth; either when I was sick or for a treat. No wonder I associate drinking tea with a feeling of joy, I was either being comforted and taken care of, or it was a happy Friday night with no school tomorrow!  Tea = Happiness!

Culturally significant

My love of tea continued throughout my life.  While living on the east coast, I would often order a cup of tea at a restaurant and they’d bring sugar and creamer with it. When I moved to California at age 24, I remember ordering tea in restaurants and along with the box of tea selections, there would be only a lemon wedge served. I soon realized that the popularity of black tea with milk and sugar was predominantly an east coast thing. It makes sense to me now, as there was a large immigrant population in New England and the northeastern states from places like England, Scotland, and Ireland where they traditionally drank daily black tea with milk and sugar. Of course this carried down into the communities and culture there. Though I also enjoy green tea very much, and in fact I drink it daily as well, I still like my black tea milky and sweet.

Tea Snob

I don’t like to think of myself as a snob, who would?  But having been a tea addict all these years, I’m very picky about my tea.  No, I’m not a tea sommelier, just a layman as it were. Those days of the old Lipton from my childhood has been replaced with British tea only. I have tried dozens of brands over the years but my preference is a robust cup of black tea from the UK.  I like my tea strong, which is why I use two tea bags. I like to say that you could stand a spoon in it.  I let it steep for 5 minutes until it’s dark and has a slightly sharp and bold taste to it - it’s an acquired taste produced by the tannins which give it that slightly astringent yet subtle strength that let’s you know that coffee can’t hold a candle to the silent strength of a noble cup of tea.  Add some pure honey and whole milk and all is well!

A Ritual Calm

Tea reminds me to stop and pause. It’s a drink for instilling calm, whether it’s herbal, green, white, black, or some other type.  It’s not taken as a drug like coffee, you don’t rush out the door in the morning chugging it like people do with coffee to get their caffeine fix. Tea reminds you to stop and take a break from the busyness in life. For me it’s a daily ritual that reminds me to slow down and enjoy the calm amidst the chaos of life.  I make sure to always sit down, breathe a little deeper, and savor the experience, maybe pick up the book I’m reading, sit out in the backyard with my dogs, or maybe watch ambiance videos on youtube (another one of my favorite calming experiences).

Mindful presence

Decades ago, back in the days when I was drinking Lipton on Friday nights or on sick days from school, I never heard anyone talking about the importance of calming down the nervous system or taking a mindful moment to sit and be present. I guess it just wasn’t “trendy” back then. But with today’s world being so much more complex than it was back then, I love that society has responded with these prevalent trends of mindfulness, calmness, gratitude, and presence. 

Conclusion:

Daily “Tea Time” for me is a dose of sanity, a time for well-being. For you it may be something different, but either way, finding a daily ritual that allows you to slow down the pace of life and interrupt the biochemicals of stress, obligation, and hurriedness, and replace them with those of serenity, stillness, and introspection, is a dose of wellness and good mental health.