The Magic and Simpleness of a Cup of Tea

There are coffee drinkers and there are tea drinkers—rarely are we equally both. Coffee has a way of urging us forward: get up, get going, start running! It fuels ambition, sharpens our minds, and propels us into the day.

Tea, though, is entirely different. Tea asks us to slow down. It invites us to pause, to wrap our hands around a warm mug, to breathe in fragrant steam, and simply be. There’s a quiet magic in its simplicity: watching leaves unfurl, colors deepen, steam curl into the air. In those few patient minutes, time softens.

And today—today, I feel that softening in every corner of my heart. Because my baby girl turns 17. Seventeen.

Motherhood has a way of sharpening your awareness of time like nothing else. Long before you notice the lines on your own face, you notice how the clothes fit differently on your child. You notice when their handwriting changes, when their laugh deepens, when the bedtime stories stop. You mark time not by calendars but by seasons of growth—missing teeth, new shoes, slammed doors, heartfelt talks at midnight. The days can feel endless, but the years? They vanish.

Seventeen years ago, I held her for the first time, handed lovingly over to me in the lobby of a hotel in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. And now, here we are. She's off to brunch with her bestie, blooming into her own life—and I’m just here with my tea, letting myself feel the fullness of it all.

That’s why tea feels like more than a drink. It’s a grounding ritual for a heart that’s always holding so much. It’s a companion for the quiet in-between moments. It gives me permission to pause and notice—not just what's around me, but what's inside me. The joy. The ache. The gratitude. The grief of time passing, and the pride of watching a life unfold.

Whether it’s a fancy loose-leaf blend or a humble tea bag in a chipped mug, tea turns an ordinary moment into a gentle ritual. It doesn’t demand urgency; it offers calm. It reminds us that joy doesn’t have to be loud or grand. Sometimes, it’s as simple as sitting down, exhaling, and letting a warm cup rest between your palms.

So here’s a gentle nudge to all the coffee devotees and caffeine addicts out there: consider adding a humble cuppa tea to your wind-down routine — not to replace your beloved morning brew, but to offer a softer close to your day. Let it be a way to slow your racing thoughts, soothe tired edges, and signal to your body and mind that it’s time to ease into rest. You might be surprised by how a simple cup of tea can become a small act of self-kindness, wrapping up the day with a little grace and calm.

And today, that’s exactly what I need. To feel the magic. To let the memories in. To hold space for the joy and the ache of motherhood—because somehow, it’s all one and the same.

☕ What about you? Are you a coffee person, a tea person, or delightfully both? I’d love to hear how you savor these little rituals in your day — share your favorite cup (or moment) in the comments below.