How do you like your... umm, tea?

Some take it hot; some take it cold. Some like it smooth and sweet; some like it sharp and dry. Some like it light; some like it strong. Some have it plain and simple; some embellish it with adornments. Some like it herbal, natural and mellow; some simply spice it up. Some have it from a paper cup; some bring out their best china. Some have it to go on the run; some sip it leisurely on the porch on a cloudless day. Some share it with friends and family; some curl up next to it and a good book. To some, it is a staple; to some others, it is a luxury. It is an art; it is a science.

It seems to me that there is something here to reflect on. Perhaps it is how we are all so different but yet so similar. Perhaps it is how much we unwillingly tell others about ourselves even in the simple things we do. Or perhaps it is how much a humble cup of tea can be such an analogy to the way we live our lives, how we love and how we are loved or yearn to be loved. How do we learn to know what we like and how we like it? Is it environmental or is it ingrained?

Do we love the same way we long to be loved? Do we all need love to be more than who we are without? Do we learn to love by example, or by counter-example? Is having that someone special who loves us the way we need to be loved addictive? Does it revitalize our soul and spirit like how a perfect cup of tea makes us feel warm and tingly inside?

How do you like your tea?