In some of the coldest days of last year, I made a new discovery that has changed my daily routine. It began with an ordinary trip to the store for dog food, detergent, and all of the other things needed to operate our household. The store was out of our usual brand of disposable coffee cups, so I bought another brand. Later, when I opened the package, I found a sample of Twinings Chai. The smell of cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, and ginger wafting up from the tea bag caught my attention. After a cup of spiced tea on a very cold day, I was hooked.
After a few weeks of Chai, I decided to try some other varieties. The more subtle flavors of Earl Grey captured me. Then, like any addiction, I needed more. With the vigorous encouragement of our daughters, I began to explore other brands and other varieties. Adding new kinds of tea soon became an activity for the whole family. Before we knew it, summer was upon us and I had 20 varieties of tea in a chest in my study. My new addiction became our new addiction. The girls started dropping coming more frequently in the afternoons, and afternoon tea became a regular feature of life. Sometimes people who drop by to chat or to take care of business accept a cup of tea, too. I have enjoyed watching other people discover the unique flavors for the first time. Green tea, Jasmine, Blackcurrant, and Oolong, we have tried it all.
We all have settled on our favorites by now. After some experimentation, I stock the Twinings brand almost exclusively. Earl Grey, Chai, and English Breakfast Tea are the varieties that have to be replaced the most. My lifelong love of Coca Cola has not been abandoned, I still have the occasional cup of coffee, and sometimes a bottle of orange juice in the mornings is the only thing that will do. Of course, iced tea runs deep in my veins as a part of my heritage. If we pay attention to the world, there are endless opportunities for fascination, endless flavors to enjoy. That is the way the Creator designed his creation. In the last year, our family has added a seemingly endless variety of hot teas to our list.
