Ritual and relaxation in a cup of tea...

With Monday upon us and the world coming back to life in earnest this week after the holidays, I feel like reaching for the tea kettle. There is something soothing about the ritual of making tea ~ selecting which type I need most (am I upset, tired, having stomach trouble or just wanting a bit of comfort?), bringing the water to a rolling boil, adding just the right amount of honey (and possibly lemon), waiting for the tea to steep properly, then carrying it back to my desk ~ all in a lovely china tea cup, of course.
Even if you prefer coffee, or cocoa, deliberately take time for a few steaming cups of comfort this week. Observe the ritual and take your mind off whatever is bothering you the most for those few minutes (work, the kids, that fight you had with a loved one, a difficult project). Take a few deep breaths and simply rest.
I think sometimes we associate “rest” with a lengthy nap or a lazy afternoon or weekend, thus we talk ourselves out of it for lack of time. But really, we can take a few minutes for ourselves in the middle of a busy day and soothe our minds and body with a comforting ritual such as making ourselves a cup of tea. That, my friends, qualifies as a bit of rest.