Saturday, April 10, 2010

Ahhhh.......

Bruce Wayne has his fire pole, Clark Kent has his phone booth, Don Blake his cane/hammer... and I have a mug of freshly brewed, strong enough to dance upon, yet supremely tasteful, mug of hot tea, with a hint of creamer. This magical brew transforms me form a walking zombie with sunken eyes and a listless drool, into a fully functional human being. After a second mug--I'm ready to change the world-or at least my small pocket of it.

There's just something about tea, when it gets to that perfect temperature-just cool enough to drink deeply, yet hot enough to do so cautiously-that helps me transcend the trivial circumstances of my day. One sip and my off-kilter day rightens, and that 'waiting for the next shoe to drop' feeling subsides.

However trivial my rhapsodies over the powers of a simple mug of tea may seem, for me it does hold true. I walked into work yesterday morning, rather, stumbled in the general direction of the building, feeling supremely grateful to the kind guard who opened all the doors for me. I felt completely wasted, not from a night of excess, but from staying up far past my normal bedtime on Thursday. The art department at my daughter's college sponsored a trip to the art museums in Chicago. They were supposed to arrive back at the campus at 11:30. It was closer to 12:30 when they returned. I didn't get to bed til after 1, then up again by 6ish. Hence, my stumbling gait...

At the office, I am a lone island in a sea of coffee drinkers. These people are serious coffee drinkers. Occasionally, one of them will drift to my side, and come see me, the Tea Lady, to try a peppermint tea, or my favorite Dublin Morning Tea, found only at my favorite store, Irish Alley. Even the big boss stops by occasionally, and for him I keep ordinary decaf Lipton tea. I have one convert, Paigely, who loves the morning teas. I'll never give up...

Tea is a full sensory experience. You hold the tea cup in your hands, feeling the gentle heat emanate through the smooth china. Then you raise it up, and as the steam emerges, you scent the tantalizing fragrance. Then you take a testing sip. Is it at a suitable temperature? As that amber liquid crosses you taste buds, the flavor explodes. The caffeine gently nudges you awake, the taste perks you up, and the experience rightens your world.

Yesterday morning, a mug of Dublin Morning Tea with cream brought me back into the world of the living. A second mug, this time Earl Grey, gave me functionality. I won't go so far as to say it saved me, but it certainly improved my sense of well-being and therefore, my day. I think it's time to brew that first pot of tea now. (at work it's mugs, here at home it's always a proper pot and a beautiful tea cup.)

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