SimpliciTEA

"Cold Tea Blues" "Pale Sun, Cresent Moon" 1994 by the Cowboy Junkies.

If I pour your cup, that is friendship.
And if I add your milk, that's manners.
But If I stop there, claiming ignorance of taste,
That is tea.

But if I measure the sugar
to satisfy your expectant tongue
then that is love,
sitting untouched, and growing cold

I'm one of those simple people who think that a good hot cup of tea will solve almost anything ..The English drink it at 4 pm with jam and bread ..the Indians drink it on the street in semi clean glass cups ..the Americans drink it sweet in the south and iced elsewhere and as I discovered this past weekend , the Thai drink it frozen cold with milk in it . The Rich , The poor , the smarts and the not so smarts . From the law makers to the law breakers , demi gods , farmers , feuds ,family and friends.

In the age of the mobile phones and internet , heres is the greatest leveller of all times .
Chai .

From Earl Grey , Wah Taj , Lipton , RungleeRungliat to the Orange Pico they drink in Bombay . Kullad, Cutting ,Kava : we love you all . A little bit of Adrak , Elaichi or Masala .Leaved , powedered or bagged .Teasim transends all.
They say that there was a chinese emperor who was boling some water and a strong gust of wind blew some wild tea leaves into his cup . And that was the discovery of tea . I cant even imagine how many things and facets I've discovered about my life over a cup of tea - through solutide or in company.

I cant imagine starting a day without tea .
I like drinking it when I'm alone . On cold wintery days - it makes being lonely easier . I also like drinking it with friends ..with crackers and cheese , marie biscuits or even without . Conversation flows or silence more comfortable depending on the mood .
It makes the rains mystical ..with pakodas and some ghazals...
Takes the edge off of a 11 pm jaunt at work .
Long Airport layovers , traffic jams ..even house cleaning bootcamps ..shopping trips ..all somehow culminate in that brewing pot .

Tea : whether its in a foam cup , a glass or a nice mug . Its mystical , therapeutic , refreshing and utterly necessary .

I think that no matter what the days or the weeks may bring , what battles life has in store ..personal or professional ..If I can wake up at in the morning ..make a nice cup of chai and start the day with tea , a newspaper and some thoughts to spare ..I'll know that I must be doing something right at least and that kind skies are watching over me .