What a Year of Tea Has Given Me

It’s hard to believe it’s already been a year.

December 23^rd marked one year since I first visited The Queen’s Library — thank you, Monica — and discovered the quiet peace I feel when I sit down for afternoon tea. Last month, Monica and I returned on the 13th, and once again, The Queen’s Library did not disappoint. As we relaxed with our tea, we found ourselves reminiscing about the past year and all of our tea adventures.

Over the past year, we’ve visited many different tea rooms — all unique in their own way. But what anchors them all is the same ritual: slowing down, savoring a pot of tea, and sharing it with friends. Unplugging. De-stressing for a couple of hours. That, more than anything else, is what I love about tea.

Even preparing a cup of tea at home or at work gives me a moment to pause and focus on just one thing.

It’s been a year, and I’m still not especially knowledgeable about tea. I don’t always know the names, the categories, or the language that comes so easily to others. While I do know the difference between a green tea and a black tea, expertise has never really been the point.

What has changed is my curiosity.

Over the past year, I’ve noticed that I ask more questions — about the tea, how it’s prepared, and why something tastes the way it does. Not because I feel like I should know more, but because I genuinely want to understand. There’s less pressure to get it right and more freedom to simply wonder.

What I do know is how it feels to sit down, slow my pace, and share a pot of tea with someone I care about. I know the comfort of returning to a familiar place. I know the quiet pleasure of making time for something that asks very little, but gives a lot in return.

A year in, that feels like enough.

If you’ve found your own version of slowing down, I’d love to hear about it.