perfect moments

yesterday my friends and i went to a japanese tea house in the upper west side.

time slowed down there. i don't know if it was the tea, the ambiance or the company, but i found myself smiling. each snatch of conversation felt precious. at one point sunshine flooded the room and i wondered if it was magic.

we all felt the atmosphere. and when one of us suggested we all hold hands and meditate for a few moments, it just felt right 😂

we were having a perfect moment.

in the words of Julie Zhuo:

“See, a Perfect Moment is one that you utterly and wholly feel, where the very concept of time recedes into the distance. It’s where both you and your surroundings are alive, brimming with tiny details of mesmerizing beauty. It’s when you bask in the bliss of the present and choose the very best version of the truth to wrap around yourself. It’s the languorous breath, the feeling of the sun on your skin, the treasures of the past, the laugh of your companions. It’s the gift of choosing how you want to savor the instant.”

sometimes, when i travel or am with friends, this happens. my worries leave me and i'm entirely in the here and now.

our time at the tea house also reminded me of the Swedish ritual of fika:

To Swedes, fika is something of a ritual. It does typically involve coffee and a sweet pastry, but just as important is the decision to take a deliberate break from your day with others. It’s a chance to relax and enjoy social connection with family, friends or colleagues.

so now i'm asking myself these questions. ask yourselves them too.

1. how can I drink more tea 🍵
2. how can I bring the ambiance of the tea house home?
3. how can I do fika more with friends?
4. how can I have more perfect moments?