A Teapot & A Teacup
On Instagram last week, one of the people I follow, Arturo Alvarez, also known as your_pencil, was doing a Teapot Giveaway. The winner was drawn from anyone who reposted one of his photos. I have followed him for a few months now, and adore all of his creations. So in an Instagram instant, I scrolled through his photos and picked this gem to repost, and waited, knowing that the recipient would be announced after the weekend.
Monday morning I opened IG and was surprised and delighted to learn that I actually won the enchanting yixing and cup below. In the traditional gong fu tea ceremony (工夫茶), which translates to making tea with skill, pu erh or oolong tea was used, and not green tea. I have no photos of the pot with tea since I cannot decide whether or not I want to use, let alone the type of tea to choose - oolong or pu erh. Decision, decisions!
I am so impressed by the intricacies of the design. I cannot imagine how much focus and control is involved in creating these beautifully delicate and detailed vessels. Studying my new teapot reminds to appreciate all aspects of the meditation on tea, and this include the craftsmanship and artistry of the tea ware.
How much do we take for granted? How often do we feel isolated and alone? Moreover, how often do we tell ourselves we are strong and independent, without need of help, support or the influence of anyone else? If you are reading this on a phone or a computer, can you appreciate the number of people who have touched your lives in this moment? Did you build your own phone? Did you generate your own electricity to charge it? Did you even lay down the cables, cords, and wires through which your power and internet run? Do you even know how to make cables and wires? We flip a switch, press a button or turn a key, and expect magically that lights will appear or machinery will move, and we smile and think we did this ourselves. But how many people are actually involved in every aspect of our lives - from growing our food, transporting it, stocking it, selling it? When you begin to think about it, in very rare instances do we do anything without help or assistance.
Thank you, your_pencil, for reminding me to examine the details in life and appreciate our interconnectedness and interdependence.
