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A journal I wrote last December about how I started drinking tea
It’s a cold and rainy morning here in our village in December. Thick grey clouds are covering the sky. The wet leaves and the musty smell reminded me of High School’s quiet and peaceful morning. It was a time when I did not have many concerns about the world. Today, I just had my breakfast, and I want to wait for an hour before I take any caffeine. I am trying to have a healthy lifestyle, and I learned that caffeine and milk prevent optimum iron absorption.
I remembered that I purchased a lot of tea last December 12, and I am excited to try out the Dandelion Tea. I am not a tea expert, but I am interested in tasting different kinds of tea. The Dandelion Tea tastes like the fragrance of the yellow dandelion flower, just more potent. I love the warmth of the water and the scent that reminds me of summer — the blue sky, buzzing bees, singing birds, warm air, and the bright flowers under the shade of slender trees.
I did not grow up liking tea.
I only learned about its existence when I was in my 20s.
The famous milk tea was not yet sold in stores when I was a teenager. I first tasted black tea with milk when I ordered it in a restaurant in 2014. I enjoyed its taste. I bought a box of black tea from a nearby grocery and tried preparing tea at home. I also experimented on what milk would make the tea taste best. I think the tea tasted great, and I now know Why it is a popular drink like coffee.
I learned that there is another type of tea which is green tea. I went to the grocery and purchased two kinds of tea: green tea and jasmine green tea. I wouldn’t say I liked their taste at first. The green tea tasted bitter, while the Jasmine Green Tea was too fragrant. I only started enjoying its taste when I became interested in the concept of minimalism. The once bitter taste turned into a taste that brings calmness and warmth. I only bought one jasmine green tea because I was not too fond of its flavor.
What made me change my mind and love Jasmine Green Tea?
It was around October of 2015 when I traveled and stayed in Manila for two months. I am used to seeing trees and enjoying life with nature in Baguio City. Manila is different from Baguio. Huge buildings and concrete surround me. I feel trapped inside a box with four concrete walls. I felt comforted when I saw the trees that lined up the Sto. Tomas University, which was beside the place where we were staying. I am fascinated by the old black tree with fragrant flowers blooming from October to November near our apartment. One of the places that we frequent is the nearby Milk Tea shop. I am in love with the Jasmine Milk Tea that they are serving — I love its fragrance. Sadly, the milk tea shop has no store in Baguio. The taste reminds me of nature back home.
After my short stay in Manila, I tried using different Jasmine Green teas to find a flavor similar to the jasmine milk tea that I enjoyed in Manila. The taste is similar but not the same.
I started reading about minimalism when I was 24, and I became interested in loose-leaf tea that I ordered a lot of it online. I purchased black-robe black tea, puer tea, dragon well green tea, pearl green tea, and many more. I placed them in different tin cans, but due to our weather, they accumulated molds, so I had to throw them away. I enjoyed the loose-leaf tea, but I have some allergies to the loose-leaf green teas. I did not purchase any more green teas.
My interest in tea grew more when I read a book about the history of tea. I forgot the title of the book, but I remembered some lessons. One topic I remember is that ancient Chinese used to enjoy tea in a peaceful and quiet place. Tea calms the mind and spirit. It is probably because the taste reminds us of memory. The first tea makers made a condition that a person should enjoy tea in a peaceful place or with a pleasant companion. Some tea enthusiasts will hike a mountain to enjoy tea surrounded by nature.
Drinking tea should remind us of a pleasant memory.
I remember reading an article saying that the sense of smell is the best when triggering memory. When I drink tea, I can taste the aroma that reminds me of something I smelled before. I do not know why this is, but when I drink tea, I can taste the smell of the tea. Lipton Jasmine Green tea reminds me of my pleasant moments in Manila with my friends. Oriental Jasmine Green Tea reminds me of my first attempt at ordering lots of loose-leaf tea from Aliexpress. It also reminds me of the time when I love tea. It reminds me of the time when I was calm. Green tea reminds me of the green forest where we live. It’s not a forest, but there are a lot of grass, trees, and mountains. Now, this dandelion reminds me of the previous summer.
2021 is almost over, and it feels like I have not done so much within two years, yet time is passing so fast. I hope the world will resume its operation as it used to before the pandemic. A few days ago, I was surprised when I entered a small shopping mall, and they had already removed the health declaration forms we always need to fill out before joining. That is nice. Dandelion Tea will probably remind us of the great summer of 2021. It’s a lovely day today.
What pleasant memory do you remember when you drink tea?
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