My association with drinking tea goes back several years.  I have a collection of some favorite memories of tea that I find myself  going back to often, and it helps to instantly refresh my mind. Surprisingly, each of these recollections now seems to convey a unique emotion depending on the people or the place surrounding them.

For instance, during my days as a student in a business school, drinking tea at a street side tea shop with a group of friends added a permanent charm to the camaraderie and fun of those carefree times. The image I have in mind of gorging on tea and banana fritters as a teenager while chatting with my cousins and immersing ourselves in the beauty of the rains is a picture that still retains the timeless quality of innocence.

The tea that is served in glazed clay cups is an unforgettable part of the train journeys that I used take during my years growing up in India. The custom of making guests feel at home with refreshing milk tea and nibbles always set the conversation flowing freely whilst lending warmth to the home as friends and neighbors drop by for a friendly chat.

Dwelling on our visit to the tea gardens of Darjeeling and the memory of the green carpet formed by the tea plantations always has an instantly soothing effect on the mind.

It is not just the taste and ritual of making tea. Even such sweet recollections of the brew help to refresh and rejuvenate the mind. What are some of your favorite memories associated with tea?

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