There is something wonderful that happens when we sit down with a cup of tea; we tend to relax and allow the worries of the day to slip away. And a ‘perfect cup’ is not so much about the tea or the cup that you use…it is about savoring a moment of peace and quiet.
When my children were little, I always knew when nap time was over. It was whenever I had finished everything I needed to do and fixed myself a cup of Earl Grey tea. There was something about me suddenly being still that stirred the house into activity! But whether we are young or old, we need those moments of quietude. We need a place in time to call our own.
We live in a world that is endlessly busy. Even if people are retired, they feel compelled to work around the clock. And why not? There is always something that needs to be done. We have houses to clean and yard work that needs finishing. I have yet to meet a person, retired or not, who has completed their to-do list. And if they do, they start another list!
But in addition to the above-mentioned activities, there are other pursuits that require our time. There may be elders that we care for, children or grandchildren we look after, hobbies and volunteer work that need our attention. All of this is wonderful and it brings us immense satisfaction to do these things.
In order to do all that we do really well, we need the perfect cup of tea…a brew to be found in a few fleeting moments of just being still, quietly aware that reflection is a gift in itself.
“Be still and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10
Honestly, that psalm is one of my favorite Bible verses. If we can just remember that, we’ll be okay.
I have to remind myself of this each and every day. There are so many things we get caught up in. It is hard to simply be still. But whenever I do, I feel a great weight lifted. When I am quiet, and listen, my heart is open book before God…I do much better when we write the pages of my life together!