Healthy Life Tip: Invite someone for tea

By Sarah Hodges

Tip: Invite someone you’ve wanted to get to know or catch up with for tea

When was the last time you just sat and had tea with someone? Totally present, no distractions, no appointments to rush off to, just you and someone else sharing presence, maybe feeling the breeze, hearing the noises of life around you, engaging in some conversation.

To me, this is one of the sweetest things in life.

Some weeks I realize I’ve barely paused, let alone taken a beat to sit and be present with someone – a good friend, a stranger whom I’d like to get to know, a family member. When I do call someone up to meet for tea, I feel uplifted and restored. Connection is powerful.

I tend to prefer meeting out at a cafe instead of in my home. Wherever I’m living or traveling, I immediately seek out the best cafes around town. I look for a comfortable ambiance, friendly staff, and a welcoming location. One of my quiet life pleasures (or maybe not so quiet) is sitting out in the world with a friend, laughing and connecting, sharing deep trust, and knowing that this positive, heartfelt energy can somehow enter into a public space and joyfully spill over onto an ‘innocent’ passerby.

I love just ‘being’ with people, sharing silent moments, watching and listening to the world alongside someone else. It runs counter to our ever-present, incredibly contagious modern restlessness of staying ‘productive’ at all times. This restlessness misses an essential nutrient of life – just being with each other.

A cup of tea can provide a beautiful opportunity to pause and connect. You can make it special any way you do it, anywhere you are.