Tea Story

This video made me nostalgic and reminded me of my own experiences with tea at home, workplace and how a simple cup of tea played a very crucial role in my life.

Prior to getting married, my morning ritual comprised of waking up to the noise of vessels being washed by mom and the aroma of ginger tea brewing on the stove in the wee hours of morning. I would leave the bed, go to brush my teeth and in the meanwhile my mom would be ready to relish her first round of tea. She would ask in a teasing child-like tone- “Chakhmi? Badi badhiya banlo hei” (Wanna taste? It’s come out really well.) I do not drink tea empty stomach. But hearing her ask like that is impossible to refuse. I would rush to kitchen to fetch a small bowl or a cup whatever i can lay my hands on and rush back to her lest my sisters reached before me and there is nothing left to even taste. Just 2 sips of it and few minutes of conversations, laughter was enough to charge up for the whole day.

When I started working, for quite sometime tea time was a lonely affair. After a couple of days I even stopped drinking it as it was depressing to have it alone. And then just like that blogging happened. I made friends with a couple of bloggers who were in the same location as mine and we bonded for life over a cup of tea. The tea break used to be the most interesting part of the day. Sharing a small cup of tea with a friend, hogging over stuff ordered by another hungry friend, teasing and leg pulling the time would just fly. One of my managers would often comment how fresh I looked at the end of the day like am just walking in to work.

Later when I moved to a different location and project I didn’t eve have a team to interact with. There was no reason or excuse to interact with people sitting around as they were in other projects. After a couple pf days of boring evenings I looked at the girl sitting beside me and asked her if she would like to join me for tea? She readily agreed and invited her other friends as well. There were 3 of us and we bonded really quick. Thanks to wonderful cup of tea. After that day, irrespective of how busy we were, how critical the deliverable were, we met at sharp 4PM to recharge ourselves and get ready to face the day.

I might not be in touch with many of the people I connected with over tea but the conversations and experiences I had with them is forever etched in my memory.

Tea to me is all those wonderful memories and experiences stirred in the warmth of love in a small cup.

What’s your tea story?