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Welcome to my tearoom! |
| Won't
you come in and join us? Please don't hesitate just because you don't
know anyone else here. Although they are all favorite friends of mine,
these ladies do not know each other either, and that is precisely
why they are here! ___I have invited these special ladies to tea because they have one thing in common: They are very rich. Oh they're not wealthy financially. But they are truly rich because in their hearts is a wealth of warmth and caring and individual style and creativity, all just waiting to be shared. And yet each lady also has a need. She needs good friends. She wants to be part of a group of friends who are kindred hearts, but she is not sure how to develop these true friendships. ___May I present my friends Laura, Ruby, Claudette, Lillian, Gloria and Suzette? They are all very different from each other, yet perhaps not so different from you. ___Now that I have poured the tea and made sure everyone has been served cucumber sandwiches, cookies, and petite fours, it is time to interrupt the tinkling of silver spoons and teacups to make introductions. I have asked each lady to introduce herself and to share some of her special interests. ___Lillian, who is as delicate as her name sounds, volunteers to go first. "Well," she says with a smile, "my mother should have named me 'Rose,' because I love the romance of roses. My garden is filled with roses, and the fabrics and wallpaper in my home are covered with cabbage roses. None of my china matches, but every single piece has roses on it. And, oh, I almost forgot! I love to sew and help other people make things." ___Tenderhearted Claudette speaks up next. "I love collecting antiques and well-loved things, like old lace and delicate vintage teacups. Cracks and little chips don't bother me - they are symbols of survival. They remind me to be fragile, yet strong." ___"I'm just a country girl at heart," joins in Suzette," and a gardener. I grow many varieties of flowers in my cottage garden, but especially love daisies. I'm always looking for colorful floral handkerchiefs like the ones my mother used to carry, and I have a drawer full of vintage aprons." ___Ruby, an artist whose eyes are her stock-in-trade, pipes up next. "Using my creativity is such a joy for me. The whole world is feast for my eyes. My problem is, I can think of more things to make and do than I could ever have time for!" ___Gloria is next to share her interests. "I love the outdoors! Croquet is my favorite game." She pauses with a twinkle in her eye. "In fact, I usually beat the gentlemen! I enjoy walking in the woods among the ferns and wildflowers, but I do not like snakes!" ___We all laugh in agreement and turn to Laura, the quiet one. She is so unassuming that she is unaware of her own elegance. Laura always prefers to listen to others and not talk about herself. But she is quite ready to share her love of both reading and writing with this group. "Books have always been my silent friends," she confides. ___What a delightfully different group of friends I have brought together! And yet the whole group has such a dear romantic flavor. It's obvious to me that they are kindred hearts. I can hardly wait to explain my idea to them. ___"I have invited you all here to today not just for tea but also for encouragement," I begin. "I want to encourage you to form your own ladies' tea society so that you can build friendships together as you make memories and share creative ideas around the warmth of taking tea." ___"How can we do that?" asks Suzette. ___"Just by meeting together for tea. Each of you can take a turn hosting a special tea party in your home," I reply. ___"Oh, let's do!" comes a chorus of voices. Right then and there, they agree not to try to impress each other with their decor or cleverness, but to truly serve one another in kindness as they share delights of their own individuality and creativity. ___Laura quickly composes a motto for the new tea society: "Joining kindred hearts with a cup of friendship." Because I have brought them together, they surprise me by calling themselves "Sandy's Tea Society." ___Although I have helped get them started with a few creative ideas and recipe, these ladies are brimming with their own ideas for tea parties - ideas that can only originate in generous, sharing hearts. ___You and I have been invited to visit these very special - and original - tea parties. Not only will the ladies wear the vintage fashions we all sometimes wish we could wear, they will also share with us their ideas for decorating and setting their tea tables, graciously entertaining, developing friendships, and preparing special recipes. ___Won't you please join us for tea? |
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