At the library: The comfort of tea and a good book

By Meredith Madison

The ritual of drinking tea has been around for thousands of years, and in recent years has gained more interest. Tea is often accompanied with a book in hand on a cold and rainy afternoon.

The reason why tea is often paired with a book is because tea is shown to comfort and warm our bodies. Books are also comforting and help us to escape the realities of life for a while. The two paired together are an unstoppable duo and produce an oh-so-cozy effect. Throughout the year 2020, I have found a new comfort in tea that I never realized was possible.

The habit of drinking tea has created stability and rhythm for me in a year that felt so unstable and unrhythmic. I drink tea at bedtime with a book in hand and the comfort I feel from this ritual have partly saved my sanity throughout this tumultuous year.

There are a few books about tea here at the Washington Public Library. 'Tea” by Laura Martin is a great option for the history of where tea originated. This book is available via E-book on Bridges.

If you're interested in reading to your little ones about tea, there are a couple which include: 'Miss Spider's Tea Party” by David Kirk and 'I'm a Little Teapot” by Iza Trapani. You can obtain these options via Curbside Pick-up! However, you don't just have to read about tea, you can read any book alongside a cup of tea.

Wondering where to buy good quality tea? It's available locally! Shopping locally is very important at this time due to the toll that the pandemic has had on small businesses. Some great local shops where you can purchase tea are: Café Dodici, the Country Market, and Emporium.

These shops are all located near or around the square and all have wonderful varieties of high-quality tea that won't break the bank. Although this year has been very bumpy and oftentimes had me wondering 'what now?”, the habit of drinking tea and reading have helped me to realize that I will always have this small but impactful ritual to comfort me.