Time for Tea

When I think of tea, I automatically think of my sister.  Tea time is not merely the consumption of a beverage, it is an event.  It is the delicate removal of the finest china from the tea cupboard, laying the tea table and brewing the perfect pot of strong, yet delicate tea, and serving it just right, cups pre-heated and the milk poured first.  What accompanies the tea is only slightly less importance for the simple reason that even the most ordinary fare becomes a delicacy when accompanied by my sister's tea. 

However, the most special thing about tea time at my sister's is the feeling of camaraderie, of togetherness, of belonging.  It is like coming home.

Tea time is a time of sharing, laughter, the baring of souls, a time of giving advice, receiving the same and reminiscing.  Tea time is a time of reconnecting.  Often tea time can stretch over several hours.  Sometimes we start teatime off still in our pyjamas, but it is always served in a delicate teapot perfectly prepared.  I love these times, and although I am more of a coffee drinker (the instant type) , I miss my sister's tea for nothing.  It is a tradition.

Today people equate the word "tradition" with "old-fashioned".  Many people sneer at the word "tradition", yet traditions are like the thread that keep the different blocks of a quilt together. They are passed on from one generation to the next, from one family to the next.  When people gather for special events or occassions, they provide common ground and tie people together that might not have seen each other for years.  It gives a sense of unity to families.  It strengthens the bond between the generations.  It gives every individual a sense of belonging to something greater than themselves.

Whatever your tradition is, it is precious, and worth celebrating.  Traditions are what makes families unique.  They are the building blocks of future generations.

What traditions do you have that are special to you and your family?  I hope you would share them here with us.  Be proud of them and tell the world.  Please feel free to comment here, I am looking forward to hearing from you.

Teapot painted by Charri F.