A Cup of Tea and a Good Book

There is something about sitting down with a good quality cup of tea and a book. Recently I've been making time for two or three times a week following my morning walk. 

But this has not always been the case. 

Not really wanting to admit it, I have been someone who has started an awful lot of books in my lifetime, but finished very few. 

Now though, not only have I discovered the absolute best English Breakfast Tea I have ever tasted, but I'm right smack bang in the middle of a great book too.

I've always loved a good cup of tea, English Breakfast Tea that is. 

As I remember with great fondness the visits to my elderly father in his home, which wonderfully were far too many to ever count, I feel warm inside. Reliving our conversations in my mind, there was one thing that was always the same, they were over a good cup of tea.

Arriving after dinner some evenings or straight after work having gotten away early to make the 50 kilometre trip on the southern motorway, and of course at weekends, the initial welcome was always the same, "Would you like a cup of tea?" Then we'd sit down and chat about the weather, look at his vegetable garden (that's another post in and of itself - it was incredible), talk about work or what was going on in his little neighbourhood or we'd often watch Coronation Street together. 

We each had our favourite brand of tea in those days and would often have that discussion. But fast forward to 2020 and I have discovered a whole new world of teas. 

Over the last couple of years I have tried a myriad of herbal teas (Dad certainly wasn't into those) created by the lovely Emma at Heke Homemade Herbals in Nelson, from Chamomile, Sleep Tea, Lax Max (yes, that is what you think it is!), The Change (and that is too) and a few other samples as well. The other tea I've totally fallen in love with in the last few months is Websters Organic Loose Leaf Teas English Breakfast Tea, and it's made right here in the beautiful Bay of Plenty.

And of course, there's the book to go along with that cup of tea, which I'm sure you'll agree is the perfect formula. The book I'm reading right now is The Wisdom of Anxiety by Sheryl Paul. In her book, Sheryl describes anxiety as "a messenger from the unconscious pointing us toward areas of self that need our compassionate attention". With it's thought-provoking theories and practical exercises it's a book that I'm getting a great deal out of. It's been a great reminder of the inner child work I did in Psychotherapy all those years ago, and my recent dialogues with my younger self have proven most useful.

So, what are you reading right now, and what do you sip as you do? 

Take care out there,