Tea and Sympathy

Coffee is the heavy lifter in my life.  On most days, it's the beverage that starts my day with cup 1, re-fills mid morning at cup 2 and maybe 3.  Sometimes it keeps me awake for my afternoons of papers and required reading.

But tea doesn't get enough credit.  I don't even notice its pervasiveness in my life.  I have at least one cup of tea a day.  Tea sticks around when you're sick, when coffee is just too much.  Tea is the comfy warm beverage you can have in the evening.  Plus, there's something kinda...girly... about tea, to me. (DON'T tell my husband that - I just started getting him to drink tea a few years ago.  Don't tell men all over the world that either, especially the British.  Oxford guys drinking tea just might have been the catalyst to get my husband to accept tea-drinking). British teatime - how great is that?  The girls and I do after school teatime often, and I love it.  You can kind of gussy-up teatime - use fancy cups, fun little treats, and my latest obsession - honey sticks!  Or you can settle down with your favorite mug in front of the fire. I often browse teapots and admire them, wanting to splurge.

Tea has fun, inviting names too, and takes on so many forms.  Healthy green tea, traditional Earl Grey, rich and exotic chai, fun fruity herbal infusions, refreshing mint, soothing chamomile and lemon.  In the summer, you can widen the possibilities with iced tea.  Which is so more fun to drink out of lovely, real glass glasses.

Tea also lends a certain intimacy and girlyness to gatherings.  My friend Cathy sets out her teapot of tea for Monday nights and we all lean in to pour; immediately the conversation transforms from small talk to the soulful.  Many women's heart-to-hearts throughout time and across the globe occurred over a cup of tea.

Do you have favorite tea trappings - cups, pots? Do you have a favorite tea moment to share? A favorite tea? It's not easy to choose one, is it? I like Stash's mint tea and their elusive lemon blossom, which I can only find at Goodrich's in East Lansing.  The Republic of Tea's blackberry sage is a new love.  My husband and daughter have to have Celestial Seasoning's honey vanilla chamomile in the house at all times. I'm a big fan of Bigelow's Constant Comment as well.

Well, Anna and I were inspired to have a tea for breakfast.  Wish I could share a cup of tea with you too.