Tea

Is there anything better in this world than a good cup of tea? A good cup of tea can be a moment of peace and meditation. A good cup of tea can be the catalyst to a wonderful conversation. A good cup of tea can refresh the soul and warm the body.

Like a lot of people, I was introduced to tea by my grandmother. I think she used to drink about a million cups of the stuff a day. Always made in the pot, with a cosy, the proper way. Sitting and drinking tea with her started my love affair with the stuff. Served at her table with scones, biscuits or cakes, it was always wonderful. I love coffee and often drink it more than tea, but to me, tea is a lot more special.

I often drink tea while I write or work. It makes me more productive for some reason. I also love a hot cup of tea on a really hot day, it's super refreshing. When Skip and I travelled around Australia and lived in a tent for around a year, we drank tea every morning (as it's damn near impossible to get good coffee in the outback) and it was a fab start to the day.

My most poignant tea memory is making a pot of tea for myself at my  Grandma's house. She was dying of osphegeal cancer and wasn't eating or drinking much. She hadn't had tea for a while and people had stopped asking her. I felt sad because it was such a ritual for her (and for my time with her). I asked if she would like a cup, she perked up and said 'Yes'. She savoured every drop and for the first time during my stay with her, seemed a little contented. For the rest of her life I think she lived on tea, with her pain medication being slipped into as well as she refused to take it otherwise.

Tea is a common denominator. No matter where you go in the world you can find some variation on tea, which I love. No matter how different we are, we all love tea. No wonder wars have been fought over the stuff. Cheers!