I Believe In Tea

I believe in a nice warm pot of tea. When the water boils to the perfect temperature and the kettle hisses at me; begging me to get that hot water out of it and pour it into the patiently waiting tea leaves in the tea pot. As soon as the flavor soaks into the water, I can finally taste the flavor of the day, as it then grips my esophagus with a warm, friendly hug. If I wanted to, I could thicken it up with a bit of cream and sweeten it with some brown sugar. Tea always reminds me of the options I have in life and the places I can travel. I can choose anything from my worldly collection and for as long as my pot and cup are full, I can pretend I am in that part of the wolrd for a few moments out of my day. In the morning, I can drink the mild taste of Irish Breakfast Tea with my toast. Later in the day, why not take a trip to England with some afternoon tea? Then, I can finish the day out somewhere tropical with Pomegranate White Tea.
Every different tea I taste from different countries, I make it my goal to visit there. Andrew Zimmerman of Bizarre Foods on the Travel Channel always says “The best way to get to know a country is through what foods they eat”, as for me, its tea. There will always be something new to see or discover on this Earth. Most people tend not to think about that, they live in their “bubble world” and stay narrow minded. Those are the people who never take chances in life, and never truly understand the meaning of life. Tea is a universal thing. People drink it no matter how rich or poor they are. I feel humbled whenever I think of others who could be pleasured by drinking the same drink I am, and by how far away they can be from me. I believe that one day tea can bring me to meet that person and see where they are from. The world has a weird of way of working like that; almost like it has a deal with fate.

Tea also continuously reminds me of my friends. What better way to sit and chat with friends over a cup of tea; especially when winter winds make nimble fingers cold. Everyone has a flavor that brings them back to a good time that they hold dearest in their heart. It may be because of the taste or the intoxicating aroma. Tea is always there for me on days where nothing is going on or it acts as a best friend that I can read a book with. It relaxes my sore throat and comforts me in any time of need. Over tea, I have lost friends, gained friends, and learned life lessons. I remember the first time I had tea. I was eight and I was with my aunt and my grandmother. Like any other kid, I liked sweets. I thought tea was supposed to be sweet without adding any sugar into it, so I was excited for my first cup. When my aunt presented me with that old English cup with that brownish colored liquid, it reminded me of syrup and I took a big gulp. To be honest, I hated it. So I added almost five teaspoons of sugar.

“Don’t do that. You will ruin it and then you won’t be able to enjoy the actual tea”, my grandmother scolded me. I obviously didn’t listen and drank the sugary drink. As I get older, I really regret not listening to my grandmother. I learned that less is more.

Tea has taught me a lot and has changed my point of view on different things I have encountered in life. I believe it has made me a calmer and more accepting person. I am more open to different life styles and cultures. As children, we believe everything our parents believe and do what we are told to do because it is what is acceptable by other people. As I grew, I began to question that. That is why I believe in a nice, hot pot of tea.