Recently, a colleague invited me to have tea with her at a tea shop. I never liked tea, so I seriously thought about feigning a stomach virus. But, she was excited, and I didn’t want to burst her joy bubble.
When we arrived, an adorable lady sporting a bow-tied ponytail and a lacy apron greeted us. She escorted us past shelves stocked with fine teas, teapots, and fancy utensils, up a spiral flight of wooden steps and into a quaint room complete with lacy curtains and eyelet tablecloths. The room smelled like an early spring day. She sat us at a round table next to an antique hutch decorated with exquisite china. I exhaled as softly as possible, fearing any rapid bellow of air would destroy the delicate ambiance.
She placed a cloth napkin on each of our laps and then explained the menu in one of those soothing voices that mother’s use when tucking a child into bed. Then, she retreated, leaving us alone to admire the old-fashioned wood carvings of the door and window trim and antique photos of Victorian women with curvy hips and bountiful bosoms carrying flowers.
A few minutes later, she reentered ‘our room’ with a tray of individual teapots and cups. She placed the dainty, floral painted cups in front of us and explained the fine art of steeping a pot of tea, which was to allow three minutes for steeping before indulging.
So, as we diligently waited, she served us three tiers of scones and butter spreads, cute little sandwiches, and mouthwatering desserts dripping with fruits, creams and chocolates. I was in heaven, and so happy I didn’t fake stomach cramps! I felt like a little girl again sitting at the grown up table, allowed to use the best china. I even held up my pinky finger when sipping. It just felt like the right thing to do.
I giggled through half the afternoon. I never imagined myself sipping cup after cup of tea, snacking on crumpets and feeling like a little girl swaddled up in this charming dollhouse while the rest of the modern day world went about their busy day.
As the sweet decadence of fruit danced on my taste buds, something important dawned on me. My life is zooming by and it’s critical for me to keep an open mind and try new things. By doing this, I offer myself the chance to discover all sorts of delicious new things.
Hoping the same for you,
Suzie
****I feel it's critical to support the community, and so I've committed to donate a portion of my book sale proceeds to Chely Wright's LikeMe foundation (http://likeme.org/) to help provide support, resources and education to LGBT individuals, and their families and friends.
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