Friday, March 21, 2025

The fourth session of Golden Tea at Bay Ridge Center brought a sense of continuity, as we started to see more regulars. New faces also joined us, including two gentlemen from Lebanon, which was a pleasant surprise.

Amy, who is Korean, opened up more today—perhaps because of the magnolia flower tea I brewed. We all learned that "magnolia" in Korean is called mongnan. Maggie, meanwhile, has become increasingly immersed in the experience. She described, with detail, how the aroma of one tea traveled through her olfactory system.

The conversation flowed to the history and cultural perspectives of tea and coffee today. I mentioned that two of the tea we drank today—also called Bohea tea—was dumped into the harbor during the Boston Tea Party. Amy seemed to recognize the name Bohea, and for a moment, something clicked for her. After I shared my reflection of the coffee experience in China last year, Maggie shared how she and others kids would dip cookies into their coffee at breakfast, a memory of childhood growing up in Puerto Rico.

Midway through the session, a new participant, Laura, expressed a desire to share a thought. She said, ‘This is so unexpected, and I want to honor this time.’ When I asked what she wished to honor, she replied, ‘I wish for more peace in the world.’ The room fell quiet, and together, we held a moment of silence for that wish—for a world we all hope to live in.

Toward the end, Amet asked why I chose to do this work. I think everything I am doing, learning, and experiencing in life has led me to do what I am doing, which aligns with my values and who I am as I understand myself better everyday.

(All names mentioned here have been changed for privacy.)