Simple Pleasures, Small Blessings

"The first cup moistens my lips and throat.
The second shatters my loneliness.
The third causes the wrongs of life to fade gently from my recollection.
The fourth purifies my soul.
The fifth lifts me to the realms of the unwinking gods."

Chinese mystic
Tang Dynasty

If you ask anyone who knows me even moderately well, they will tell you that I love tea. Now, yes, I am Southern and do drink sweet iced tea, but that is another thing altogether. I'm talking about proper hot tea. I feel about tea the way our favorite Silly Old Bear feels about honey. Now based upon this particular quote (which I simply love), and taking into account that my mug, which proudly proclaims "Curl Up With Me Full Of Tea" [a gift from a wonderful friend], holds about 2 cups, then I have just finished cup number 4. Along with a scone, which is another of those immutable pleasures in life--one of those joys I picked up while living in Scotland. The tea did, in fact, come earlier. Having been generally wound up and stressed out lately, the fact that I got off early enough from work this afternoon that I could come home, have a nap, and go through the ritual of afternoon tea has worked miracles. A series of simple pleasures and small blessings. I was literally skipping around the kitchen as I heated up my scone and waited for the tea to steep. If asked, I would have to confess that I am something of a tea snob. I can't drink the inexpensive tea bags one finds at the grocery store. Once one has become accustomed to loose tea, one can never go back. And as I have an excellent source for said loose tea, I don't have to.

My good fortune this afternoon has me pondering about those very simple pleasures and small blessings in life in which I find so much joy. Indeed, where would we be if we did not take the time to be thankful and enjoy these things? Irritations happen. Things we would rather went well go wrong. Cars break (that's my most recent stressor). It can often be far too easy to forget about the good things because they may not be big. So I have my morning tea daily (this is required for me to feel human and face the day...otherwise Look Out) and count my blessings when I have the opportunity for afternoon tea. I love playing with my dogs, Daisy and Angel, who are some of my greatest joys in life. When it's winter I count my small blessings that the humidity is low and I can have long stretches of good straight hair days. In the spring and summer when it's humid, I can have long stretches of good curly hair days. These may seem silly and small things. But as far as I am concerned, anything that puts a smile on my face is a good thing and should be noted. I am contemplating getting a rubber duckie shower curtain for our new place. I think they're funny and they'd make me smile first thing in the morning (and as I am not a morning person, that is no small feat). In the meantime I believe I shall go enjoy a Not For School Book.