A Cup of Tea

PART II

Today is Sunday and I spent most of the day reading a book. The week has been filled with activity. Tomorrow my schedule is full and so guiltless rest is in order today. It is winter time in the Caribbean. The temperature has plummeted to 82 degrees. I hear people say, “I’m cold. I should have brought a sweater”.

As I was reading, I was chilled and put a little red blanket on my shoulders. My mind drifted and I thought about making a cup of hot tea to warm my insides.

I remember making a cup of hot tea each afternoon before I retired from my job. It was a nice break and a ritual that included shutting my door, kicking off my shoes, putting my feet on the desk, letting my answering machine pick up messages. I was alone holding the hot cup of tea with both hands while isolated from the chaos of the corporate world.

After I retired, I joined a gym and a spa. The spa was my reward for working out at the gym. After a couple of hours, I would drive to the spa, sign my name and was handed a key to a locker. After showering and putting on the robe and slippers that were found inside my locker, I would head over to the lounge area where there was a large pot of tea. I would pour myself a cup, sometimes adding honey, and curl up on the large oversized chair and be alone for a few minutes with my thoughts.

Tea is a source of relaxation, but I’ve never had the time before now to contemplate the details and value of the ritual. As I sit here sipping my tea, I realize that this is another one of those Peace Corps moments where there is no distraction to keep me from considering the steam coming from my small tea cup. It is decadent. It is comforting. It is relaxing. It soothes the soul. There is just something about a cup of hot tea. It doesn’t matter where I am. It is magical.

When I applied to Peace Corps, I never would have guessed that reflecting on small moments would add up to such a big benefit.