The Me Who Drinks Tea

I don't drink coffee. I never have. My mother once said to me that I would develop a taste for it, especially in college when one is generally expected to stay up all night cramming for exams or finishing papers. Not only did I never develop a taste for coffee, I never actually pulled an all-nighter in college. Even on nights I was up late working, I'd sleep for a while and wake up early to finish, but even that was a rare occasion.

A couple of years ago, I had a job that was more work than I could have possibly imagined. The deadlines were tight and the turnaround time for my assignments was non-existent. I stayed up all night working, and I used a caffeinated tea for those all-important jolts of both energy and that feeling of well-being that makes you think you can really get it all done. The only other time I use tea for a quick pick-me-up is when I'm traveling and jet-lagged.

I prefer to drink tea (decaf or herbal) when I'm relaxing. I like to drink it after a meal or when I'm sitting talking to a friend. Tea forces me to slow down because I have to wait for it to cool and I can't just chug it down. I like mint tea after a meal or chamomile close to bed-time. I like fruity flavored teas during the day, or just plain Lipton. I have plenty of tea on hand at both work and home, but I don't often make the effort to put a cup of water into the microwave for a few minutes, mostly because I know I'll have to wash the cup. How ridiculous is that? I should get one of those electrical tea kettles and just plug the stupid thing in when I'm having office hours and make myself a cup of tea. I should bring a clean cup in from home and take it back at the end of the day for washing in my kitchen sink. What's so hard about that?

I like the me who drinks tea. I like the introspective, non-rushing version of me. I don't have a daily ceremonial beverage like everyone's "first cup of coffee," nor do I have a beer or a scotch when I get home after work. All day long I drink water out of a refillable metal bottle, and I rarely stray from that. I drink orange juice maybe once a week. Same with beer. It would be nice to sit and drink a cup of tea in the afternoon--every afternoon--like the British do. A lovely ceremonial drink that makes you slow down for a moment. I don't know about you, but I think my day could use slightly more ceremony in it.