TAKING TIME OFF TODAY
by Haojing
The silly old bear once said, "Doing nothing often leads to the very best kind of something." A forgotten phrase, it reminds us of the little pockets of time needed to unwind, recharge and pause.
December 20, 2019
"Doing nothing often leads to the very best kind of something."
~ The silly old bear
According to Christian literature, mankind was cursed by God after being cast out from the garden of Eden to labour and toil all the days of their life. And a dreadful curse it is, with few ever escaping its shackles.
"Doing nothing often leads to the very best kind of something."
From the moment we gain consciousness, we are set on a treadmill, running towards a hazy future with uncertainty — from rushing to complete school projects and studying for exams, to jumping through hoop after hoop while scaling the corporate ladder when we finally enter into the workforce. At the end of each stage, instead of reprieve we always find a newer and more challenging mountain to climb.
The only thing that keeps us going is the dream that someday it will all be worthwhile, and we can finally rest, retire and have that nice long holiday we have been postponing.
Being in the tea industry for the past few years, we often encounter customers enquiring about instant matcha and tea bags. When asked why they would rather sacrifice quality and settle for instant tea than make a proper cup of tea to enjoy, they would always reply that it is too time consuming. They wished to have something that can be dumped into a cup of hot water, with a flavour vaguely resembling their beloved beverage and, at the same time, allowing them to continue staring at the screen. They seeked a compromise. Truth is, we all often do.
Having instant noodles instead of the tontatsu ramen, or watching a travelogue of Rome instead of booking the air ticket. All because "there isn't enough time".
When asked why they would rather sacrifice quality and settle for instant tea than make a proper cup of tea to enjoy, they would always reply that it is too time consuming.
In traditional Chinese literature, a term often used is 一盏茶的时间, which means the time taken to have a bowl of tea. This term also implies a short amount of time. Truly, we all have the time to savour a proper cup of tea.
As cliché as it sounds, no one can be sure if they will get to see the next sunset or smell the fragrance of their next cup of tea. As Pooh wisely proclaims, "Today is my favourite day." And Pooh always has time for tea with his friends.
As Pooh wisely proclaims, "Today is my favourite day." And Pooh always has time for tea with his friends.
But of course, we do not advocate that one should simply lay idle and squander the time away without purpose or meaning. For such lethargy benefits neither the wellbeing of our mind nor body. We all need meaningful work to truly live a fulfilling life. But the key is finding the balance and allowing ourselves pockets of time to do the simplest things that bring us joy and recharge us for the next mile. Stopping to stroke the cat on your way to work, or letting your mind drift for a moment as rain patters on the window pane.
The deadline isn't running anywhere within the next 10 minutes. So, pause. Bring out that treasured gaiwan of yours and brew your favourite tea. And when it is time to run, run as fast as you can until it is time to slow down and rest again.