Art mom sometimes steps out of her comfort zone and drinks tea on a rock, by a forest path, with her favorite artist daughter, …and people walk by and look….
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The idea was great! In the spring of our first year in the Far East, we decided to take a long forest walk – a trail. As in the old days, to look for the harbingers of this most beautiful season. My artist daughter, wanting to celebrate the beauty of waking life to the fullest, packed a teapot, teapots and tea in a thermos in her backpack. “Wonderful!” – I thought. Once we were on the trail this my shouted “Wonderful!” became a seductive burden. I hadn’t (after all) considered that we were in Korea, and that here on every trail there are lots of people and it is extremely difficult to find a quiet, secluded spot!!! We found a lovely patch of land with stones for sitting and a larger stone in the middle, which looked deceptively like a table. A lovely spot… by the path.
Art mom introvert, would have liked very much that when we took out the teapot and teapots no one was looking at us. However, she knew this was not possible. Not in a country where people love mountain and forest walks. Not when you are a foreigner drinking tea “carelessly” from an Asian teapot.
Art mom, however, made a decision – like in the old days – not to look left or right, but to celebrate this special moment with her daughter and focus all her thoughts on her. Seize the moment, seize the day! “Get to know life with every breath, with every cup of tea” – one is tempted to quote Katsumoto from the movie ‘The Last Samurai’ here.
Of course, people were watching. There were also those who came up to ask trivial questions (the darkest scenario of the event came true!).
…but I – mom art, already “above”… celebrating the gently passing moment, wrapped in the spring breeze and tea aroma….
