What is there about a cup of tea that charms a woman’s heart much more than an amber liquid to be sipped? It also speaks of a different pace, a genteel space, a still moment, a quiet thought and a worthy conversation. Tea is another mindset, one very different from the intensely driven whirl we live in. Tea time invites us to relax and to reflect; it helps us not to lose touch with ourselves and with others. And it permits us to unplug from our harriedness to nurture our souls. Tea also whispers a language of romance, the romance of embracing loveliness. A graceful cup, a crocheted napkin, a sterling spoon, a lace doily and a tea service help to establish a gentle ambience. Our senses are soothed by a gracefully prepared tea environment.
Tea is a sip of yesterday when times were less frantic and more family,when Polly put her kettle on and we all had tea. Listen ... can you hear the sounds of loved ones as they congregate around the comforting cups? The steaming kettle sings for attention as friends lean in to reach one another’s lives.
My yesterdays are filled with the delicate sound of clinking ice cubes in tall glasses of sweet tea on hot summer days. The heat in the South was made more tolerable and more sociable by partaking of this delightful refreshment. In the noonday sun, we sought refuge on the shady porch and there drank our tea and enjoyed each other’s company. These moments are even sweeter than was the tea.
Most importantly for me, tea time is when I collect myself before re-entering my passionate pursuits. This personal interlude becomes as sacred as a tete-a-tete with the One who understands my franticness, my longings, and my leanings. He reminds me that ‘in quietness and trust is your strength’ (Isaiah 30:15b).
Partake with me some amber warmth, a cup of cheer, a sip of encouragement ... and moments worth remembering.
From her delightful book Tea with Patsy Clairmont |
