tea time

"I've been invited to have tea at the O'Henry Hotel this afternoon," I told the man I regularly buy espresso blend coffee from at the Market on Saturday mornings, after consuming the thermos of coffee I had already brought from home. He asked whether or not I would be bringing my own coffee to the tea and we laughed knowing that I sure would like to. But I managed to resist the temptation.

Walking into this beautiful hotel I was excited to have been invited to attend the birthday party for a friend. It was a beautiful place to sit even if the beverage of choice was going to be tea. I was instantly transported to a feeling of being on vacation that a person with my budgetary restraints does not experience often.

I then wondered who would be on the guest list. I had gone to church years ago with the guest of honor as well as the two women organizing the party, but the rest of the party guests would be new to me. Connections were made and stories shared. This town is just not big enough for the paths not to have crossed at some point. It always interests me which details one is going to include in an introductory presentation of oneself. Wondering if I should add to the details given by the woman introducing me, I relaxed and let my story be told according to someone else. It did not necessarily matter that all of my recent endeavors were not revealed because at that moment all I felt was a deep sense of gratitude. Not only that I was invited to this special party but that I had made a positive difference in someone's life.

Three pots of tea, several plates of scones with lemon curd and clotted cream, and a whole tiered plate structure containing sweet and savory treats were delivered to the table. Conversation revolved around how we each knew the birthday girl and what roles we had played in her life up until this point in time. We had been hand-picked to fill in our part of her life story--scripted by God and lived out one year at a time.

As the last bites of mini quiche, cucumber sandwich and tiny confections were taken, one of the women suggested we go around this circle of six friends to share what it is about this person that so moves us to love her. The beauty of honesty is breathtaking. Everything from wanting to run along side her, literally and figuratively, to thanking her for friendship in the midst of hardship, to being inspired for her perseverance in profound tragedy was expounded upon. To have the opportunity to share with someone why you love that person is a rare gift unfortunately often left for eulogies.


In this case we were all very much alive, buoyed by the beautiful pots of tea poured into our china cups. We were breaking the bread of scones and other delicacies together in an act of sisterhood and love. We were eager to give all we had in the way of emotional energy knowing that to bless this friend would linger far longer than any other gift we were capable of giving. It simply comes down to choosing to love. It always does.