As a kid, I could hardly sit still on the three-hour drive to my aunt’s house. When we pulled into the driveway, I would sprint directly to the kitchen counter, where steam floated above my favorite mug.
Nothing beat taking that first sip of my favorite vanilla caramel tea while I caught my aunt up on all things new in my life. It was relaxing, it was special, and it made me realize tea is much better than coffee.
Coffee has always been overhyped. When I was young, my parents were constantly drinking coffee, but when I would ask for a sip they would scoff and tell me maybe when I got older. That instantly made me want it more.
My dad bought me my first “real” cup of coffee on our ride to college my freshman year. I felt like a cool kid, finally having the drink that my mom said would stunt my growth and stain my teeth. All the college kids drank coffee, I told myself, and I would, too.
I continued to drink coffee my freshman year in an effort to help me pull all nighters to study for tests, but I found that the caffeine wasn’t keeping me pleasantly awake. It stimulated my anxiety and made my stress 10 times worse.
So I tried decaf. But what was the point? It didn’t taste good anyways.
With tea there is no anxiety, there is no teeth staining, no growth stunting. With tea there is relaxation, immune system boosting, and weight loss.
Can coffee say that it battles heart disease, lowers cholesterol, and reduces the risk of cancer? No. But tea can. Instead of spiking anxiety, tea can help soothe the nerves. Instead of causing insomnia, tea can help one fall asleep.
Not to mention, tea can go with anything. It is weird to drink a cup of coffee with a salad, but pair it with tea and it is a healthy and normal meal.
We all liked tea better as kids, having tea parties with our stuffed animals and friends. Tea is elegant and sophisticated, but also cheap. It is nearly always less, if not half the price of a cup of coffee.
Life has only gotten busier since I was a kid sitting at my aunt’s kitchen counter. While I am happy with my life now, I miss the days I sat at her counter sipping my favorite tea.
Once a month, without fail, I receive a package from my aunt, and inside is always a box of that vanilla caramel tea. It isn’t written anywhere, but the message is known: my aunt loves me and can’t wait to catch up soon.