The Comfort of Small Things
“I’ll put the kettle on, would you like a cup of tea?” is a question that warms my soul immediately.
After my parents passed away and I was cleaning out my childhood home, my Aunt Linda came over every afternoon. She lumbered up the front stairs of our Victorian house with heavy shopping bags filled with snacks, and upon reaching the top, announced her arrival — “It’s tea time.” She insisted that I drop whatever giant pile of stuff I was sorting through before taking my arm and leading me tenderly to the kitchen table. “Hand me the teapot, will you? It’s on top of the fridge,” she would ask, as she rifled through her bags for stale Pepperidge Farm Mint Milanos, a half-filled honey bear, small paper plates, and the 70s era Tupperware she filled daily with mixed nuts. As I sat at the table, exhausted and slouching in my chair, I watched Aunt Linda pour boiling water into my mom’s favorite royal blue teapot, and immediately I felt cared for, protected and safely tucked away in a suspended moment of solace. Sometimes it can be the smallest thing that brings the biggest joy when you need it most. In those moments of exhaustion, sadness and grief, it was more than just a cup of tea. It was the comfort and connection of sharing a moment, pausing the chaos, and taking a breath — together. What small things bring you comfort?
Photo by Shanti Nelson: Quiet reflection, lovely tea, and beautiful morning light at Milk Glass Mrkt in Portland, Oregon.
“Sometimes,” said Pooh, “the smallest things take up the most room in your heart.”