Tea Tuesdays…Green Tea

I missed the boat on those Chris Brown tickets for tonight, so here I am—sipping green tea and settling in for a quiet evening. They say I’ve got Chris Brown at home anyway, lol. Since I’m clearly staying in, I figured I’d share why green tea means something to me.

It was the fall of ’97, my freshman year of college. Even though I’d chosen a single dorm on a singles floor, I still met some amazing women and made lasting friendships. One friend invited me home with her for a long weekend in Delaware, and I had the best time exploring her hometown and meeting her family.

Almost 30 years later, I can still see myself standing in her beautiful mom’s kitchen, chatting and laughing as she brewed us a pot of green tea. Back then, the only tea I really knew was the kind served at the end of a meal in a Chinese restaurant or a hot cup of Lipton before school. I’d never had green tea before, never had loose leaf, and definitely never had it lightly sweetened—or barely sweetened at all. Her mom was so warm and welcoming, and there was something about that moment, that quiet ritual, that stuck with me.

Not long after, her mom passed away from a brain aneurysm. I didn’t even know what that was at the time—but years later, I’d learn more about it through my own experience. It’s strange how life circles back like that. That simple cup of tea means even more to me now—a gentle reminder of connection, warmth, and how the smallest moments can leave the deepest marks.