An old friend of mine once told me that taking time to sit and have a cup of tea is like saying “Hello” to yourself. The inference being that we rush around so much that we rarely have time for ourselves. You know, human doing vs. human being concept.
This past weekend I recognized a former colleague in a coffee shop. I had stopped in during a run of errands to say ” Hello” to me with a nice cup of joe. My former colleague appeared in deep thought as she stared out the window and I decided not to disturb her.
However, she called out my name and asked me to join her. She was just about finished her tea. After we exchanged pleasentries, I asked her how she was doing. I knew the question was a bit loaded given that I had heard that she was in the midst of a divorce.
She replied “I seem to be finding me again and now I often take time to sit with a cup of tea and reflect”. I said ” Taking time to sit with a coffee or cup of tea is like saying ‘Hello’ to yourself. ” Absolutely” she answered “and don’t we need to do it every day given the craziness of life”.
Understanding the importance of “saying ‘Hello’ to yourself ” on a daily basis really is a prerequisite to getting through life transitions as well as simply living in these complex times.
