Reading the Tea Leaves

Afternoon tea is such a treat, especially with a good friend. Location: Soffee Cafe in Vancouver.

I truly believe things happen for a reason; this includes people who come into your life. 

This weekend I had the pleasure of having tea at Soffee Cafe with a new friend, Heather, who I met through the design industry and in the FOUR HOURS of nonstop chatting, laughter and tears, I knew I had found a kindred spirit.

People come and go in one's life - most are only a blip and others go completely unnoticed. Then there are those who you discover can connect with you in ways that are very rare. You find kinship in similarities - whether from childhood experiences to key moments and decisions that impact your life.

As the years go by, I notice that I pay more attention to the quality of personal relationships I have with people. I'm drawn to people with depth, colour and perspective that allow me to experience a greater appreciation of my own life. Through their stories I am taught patience, love, kindness, respect, courage and strength. Their lenses help shape my perspective and make me want to become a better person. I only hope to be lucky enough to impact another person in a similar way.

During high tea, Heather used the term, "distilled" a number of times. In my day job, the company I work for - it's motto is "Run simple." The net here is that at some point, you need to decide what is most important to you - breaking it down to the lowest level: what makes you happy? Keep things simple, less convoluted - clear and concise - and you'll be able to focus on what is right for you. Without all the noise, you can begin to learn about yourself; what makes you tick, what inspires you - and at the end of the day, go get it! 

It can be really be that simple. Before high tea, I was good to myself and did a yoga class. I then went for tea and stayed chatting for FOUR hours! If there was a time to do what makes you happy, yesterday was a good start!