The Wisdom of the Tea Bag

I was excited to see that skirt! Loves Yogi Tea! Not only is it wonderful tasting stuff, every tea bag comes with a fortune of sorts. My friend has a great one posted on her bathroom mirror (actually, she has a plethora of them on her bathroom mirror, but that's not my point) that says "The head must bow to the heart". I LOVE THAT! And, I am not sure of the rules that apply to tea bag wisdom, so I don't know if I can make that one my fortune too or if I have to keep drinking tea until I get that one for myself?

Speaking of drinking a lot of tea...recently I was having a rather melancholy day and felt like I needed a positive word from the universe that would lift my spirits. So, I started drinking tea of course! Truth be told, I wanted to just start ripping open bags and read the messages because I didn't really feel like drinking tea but I'm certain the fortunes don't "work" if you don't actually drink the tea...you know, why doesn't someone invent beer caps with fortunes on them? I totally would have been down with consuming several beers on that day! Anyway, I digress. As luck would have it my first 3 tea bags (I'm just saying, I was desperate) had really uninspiring things to say (which is odd for Yogi tea bags). They weren't negative or anything, they just weren't what I needed. I mean, when you're feeling depressed, reading the words "Be the light" really doesn't make you feel a whole hell of a lot better! I decided I could handle one last cup and BAM it happened! Tea bag wisdom reigned down on my soul!

The moment you love, you are unlimited

That was a tea bag worthy of my bathroom mirror, which is where it now humbly resides. Often truth has a way of cutting through all of the haze that surrounds our heart. On this day, after reading the above words, I realized once again that my life has become unlimited because I've said "yes" to love. Yes to loving myself enough to fight for what I desire even though it meant divorcing my husband after 25 years. Yes to verbally and tangibly loving my daughter even though she went through a season of making very unhealthy choices. Yes to opening my heart to another's love even though I was afraid of being vulnerable.

At the age of 50 I have come to rest on one simple truth and that is to always (as much as it is humanly possible) choose love. And you know, it has been a beautiful thing all the way around. It has been a transforming experience to me and to several people around me, especially my daughter. To choose love when your first instinct is anger or hurt is a powerful thing. It opens the heart of the receiver and the soul of the one choosing to love. And because I believe we are all connected I know that when I choose love, everyone is affected in a positive, unlimited way. To choose love when you are afraid is a crazy, liberating experience. I believe the opposite of fear is love so when I choose to love, or be loved, when I am aftraid I can almost feel the chains that have been wrapped around my heart since I was a little girl falling away. It's been a stunningly beautiful journey.

So, for any of you that need a gift of wisdom from the universe, go buy some Yogi tea! And if you don't like tea, I think the fortunes will work as long as you put the tea bag in some hot water and set it somewhere near your heart(: