Soothe Your Soul

 You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me. 

C. S. Lewis

Several years ago, I had a bad case of the flu. You know the kind: your energy level is zero, and the thought of shuffling to the kitchen to microwave a can of chicken noodle soup seems like climbing Mt. Everest. I was in my mid-20s and living on my own, and was determined to "take care of myself" and muster through it. But, an evening came when I called my mom (who, at that point, only lived about 20 minutes down the road) and asked if I could come over.

As I arrived, I was escorted to the couch where a fuzzy blanket awaited me. A few minutes later, buttered toast with cinnamon sugar and a mug of warm, sweetened tea arrived at my side. Something so simple, yet something I couldn't have done for myself. As I held the warm cup and sipped from it, I realized that even if I made the exact same tea with the same ingredients and even the same mug, it wouldn't have been the same. It was made with love, and it soothed my very soul. 

When I woke up the next morning to the sounds and smells of a fried egg sandwich being made downstairs (another tried & true favorite), I realized how much better I felt. The flu had finally run it's course, and I believed in the magical qualities of that tea. There have been many times since that evening that I've enjoyed a comforting mug of my mother's tea, but I will never forget that something so simple can cause you to slow down, breathe deeply, and be in the moment -- something I'm always striving for. 

This afternoon, I found myself slightly overwhelmed with my to-do list. Instead of trying to distract myself by checking Facebook or Twitter, I decided to make myself a mug of tea. As I sat at my desk, watching the steam flutter toward the oh-so-flattering fluorescent lights, I realized that while it might not be quite as good as my mom's, it had the same effect. It soothed my soul.


{Image via We Heart It}