sprite writes
broodings from the burrow

January 3, 2010


hot tea month: mood lifter
posted by soe 2:48 am

hot tea month blogathonDid you know that January is Hot Tea Month? No, me neither.

But it is, and I have signed up to share my love of tea with you throughout the month as part of the Hot Tea Month Blog-a-thon. Each week will bring a question or theme to speak to.

This week’s query:

“Tea as a mood lifter: How does tea improve your day? What is your favorite time for a nice, hot cuppa?”

I admit it: If you came to me upset or distressed or in need of comfort in some way, my first action after giving you a hug would be to put the kettle on. A hot cup of tea might not be able to cure what ails you, but it certainly will help make it more bearable.

I drink tea all day long. Rudi is usually the first one up in our household and he nearly always makes my first cup of tea. This is probably the crucial cup of the day, the one that lures me out of bed with the promise of a hot mug to wrap my hands around as I sit in front of my happy light. It helps me adjust to the idea of being awake and serves as a reminder of the nice things in life that sometimes seem far away during the early part of the day.

The last cup of tea before sleep is also a good one. It serves to relax me, to give me a final chance to pull my shoulders away from my ears before heading to bed. Caffeine doesn’t seem to affect me, so again it’s the warmth of the cup cradled in my hands that helps lull me through to the next stage of the day.

There are other times, of course, that call for tea: after a chilly walk, on a rainy afternoon, when chatting with a friend — either in person or on the phone — or curled up with a good book. That cup (or pot) of tea seems to be one of several puzzle pieces that fit together to just make the scene come together correctly.

Tea is, after all, a magic elixir. It’s just dried leaves and water, maybe with a little sugar and milk mixed in. It doesn’t sound like it could be the drink of gods. And, yet, it can in turn offer strength, comfort, energy, or relaxation. What mere mortal could ask for more?

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