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One of the new things about the new year is that I gave up coffee. I never thought I would write these words. I might eat it again someday. I know I will, but no coffee for now.
I started experiencing a bit of acid reflux, so I narrowed down the cause to coffee by process of elimination. Now that I haven’t had coffee for over a week, the reflux is gone.
I have always been a coffee and tea drinker. Now I drink a lot of tea. Green tea, chamomile, mint medley, etc. So, just when I thought I couldn’t find a tea I didn’t like, I came across dandelion root.
When I took my first sip, I felt like a failure. That my coffee contained the bitter root of an ancient plant. It hasn’t been buried for hundreds of years, but has somehow found its way into modern supermarkets, crushed into tiny tea bags.
At that moment, I realized that I was a victim of corporate marketing. “Pleasantly roasted and bitter” is not how I would accurately describe the flavor of this tea. Tea companies are best at marketing. They sell you the partnership you have with the Earth. About the support you are giving to farmers and herb collectors.
It shows me how much better life can be with a cup of hot tea, a cozy sofa, a cat by my side, and the sound of a drizzle of rain outside the window. While drinking tea, birds can be seen flying in formation over the rooftop building, accompanied by a sunset painted by Thomas Kinkade. If you make the right decisions in the supermarket aisle, everything could be yours.
Marketing has one way to sell tea. The mother has someone else. When I visited her mother during her vacation, her mother made her tea because she was feeling unwell and she said I should drink it too. It is always effective to drink tea in pairs. She didn’t get her tea in a box and she didn’t get it in a small clear bag. She was in a repurposed pickle jar.
The tea was small pieces of dead branches and thorns that apparently could be brought back to life by simply pouring boiling water over them. She threw them into a pot, set it on fire, and tea was born. She reminded me that almost everything you need in life is all around you. Mama tea marketing. That always sounds convincing.
I like tea. I like the warm type. The type that helps you sleep. I like the type that gives me energy and the type that gives me a moment of peace. I don’t get them all from reading boxes, but I learn them from growing up listening to my mother figure in the kitchen.
“Drink this Mijo.” “Drink this and you’ll feel better.” “Drink this and everything will be fine.” are things you want to hear even if you don’t know what you’re drinking.
This year’s morning starts with tea. The type that climbs steeply while sitting down. The type that will cheer you up and help you relax at the end of a long day.
As for dandelion root, if mom says it’s okay, I’ll try it again.
Abe Villarreal writes about American traditions, people, and culture. You can contact him at: abevillarreal@hotmail.com.
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