What's in my tumbler: Dragonwell, a famed Chinese green tea from Zhejiang
Today is Thanksgiving. It's not the first one that I have spent away from my family, but it is the first one that hasn't been bustling with lots of preparations underway. Today I am taking it easy. Although my room mate is gone, I don't have work, and I won't be leaving the house anytime soon, the stillness is no longer driving me mad. It took some time to shake off a bit of nostalgia and loneliness, but here I am- smiling and perfectly present.
I decided to take it easy today in a number of ways. One of those was tea. I know I'll have plenty of tea to counter the tendency towards overeating that goes hand-in-hand with holidays, so I'm only on pot number two for the whole day. I started with one pot of a nice gunpowder tea; I wasn't in the mood for anything fancy or in need of diligent awareness to water temperature or steeping time. Now, hours later I am sipping my favorite tea, Dragonwell green tea. Dragonwell, or long jing, always cleanses my mind and soul as it washes down my throat. It's refreshing, rich, and slightly nutty; this is a tea once reserved for royalty for good reason. Although I love it so much, we'll save it's story for another day.
I admit that this morning I was permitting myself to feel lonely and not just a little forlorn. I threw myself into my research for the day as a distraction in hopes that I would get over it. Sure enough, I found distraction. I tripped over my books strewn about the floor, kept losing my pencil, and even managed to spill my tea as I refilled my cup. I realized that I needed to stay a little more grounded and focus on incorporating a more positive outlook. So, as I sopped up the tea from the table, I thought about what today should really mean to me.
I woke up to a beautiful day. Sure, I'm spending a lot of it alone and away from my family, but does that make it any less serene? I've had some wonderful breakthroughs in my research lately, and that will impact all of my further writing and teaching on that subject. I have had numerous offers for places to go and people to see today, even if they are a little farther away than would be comfortable, so I know I'm not really alone. Most importantly, I feel like my relationship with my immediate family is at an all-time best. I really think I've begun to understand the context of past concerns much better, and it helps me relate to them so much more easily. Although I might not be geographically close to my parents this Thanksgiving, I'm closer to them on other levels than I have ever been.
A very wise friend and teacher once reminded me of becoming the empty vessel through the analogy of the teacup. The Universe has so much to provide to us, and all we have to do is offer an empty cup to receive more. While absentmindedly pouring my tea today, I saw that lesson in action. If we don't accept the things that we receive with gratitude, we waste so much. Only by joyously offering back can we restore balance. It creates an endless cycle. Gratitude generates joy which begets more gratitude... It goes on and on.
Take some time to reflect on what causes you to feel grateful and see what happens. I can guarantee that you will feel joy for every moment in life. Each breath affords us an opportunity to grow and to learn. Even the lesson of spilled tea can remind us how abundantly blessed we are.
Remember that just like this morning's cup, life is overflowing with abundance in many forms; we just need to sip from it to receive some more.
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