A Little Tea and the child in us

Undeniably, the pace of life caught us up, causing us to forget a child in us to make life enjoyable. The coincidence is so funny. What makes our life enjoyable can boost our happiness and any ventures we can think of from here on out. When we grow older, we become colder, and the more we take things for granted. Sitting inside A Little Tea and looking at how fun and creative the mural are, I remember the fun I had before. Maybe, a quick zest of our old self produces a big difference in ourselves. Unearthing some forgotten qualities that we used to have will do us good favors.

We feel in control of our lives day by day as if everything falls into the right place and all the perfect moments imaginable. Sometimes we wake up without the pestering buzz from our alarm clock. We have laser focus to achieve our daily goals and are ready to smash life. In reality, there are no perfect moments but a mix of sweet and sour. Some days oversleep and peel us out of bed. Our brain feels too sluggish or like an undercook boiled eggs for the rest of the day. Yesterday, I woke up bored as a slot. For the first time in a long time, I decided to stroll around for no reason and do whatever came up in my mind.

While there isn't much to do since we are still in the pandemic, my stroll ended inside A Little Tea, a milk teas shop, out of nowhere. I am not a fan of milk teas despite the communities craze over milk teas. But I still enjoy a good, not too sweet milk tea, and it doesn't taste like brewed medicine. While I was ordering a cup, I was not paying attention when the lady at the counter asked for sugar levels. I responded I want a large one, LOL.

I was adrift in the moment. I was not closely paying attention cause the shop's interior caught my eyes, especially the walls. The left wall, facing the counter, wears minimalism, while the left speaks volumes of playfulness and fun. It was a contrast that we can all relate to and reflect on. When we grow old, we forget our childish traits and become accustomed to constantly pressuring boring adult life. Don't get me wrong, I love to have a simple, minimalistic life, but sometimes when everything is too simplified and playing it safe, boredom sinks in. A splash of playfulness and being childish can recharge us.

Remember playing sticks or clothe's clip for hours on no end? We could create anything we can think of with that dam stick or a clothe's clip. Before legos, I make anything out of a clothe's clip. Nothing could stop our creativity and imagination. I can remember how I doodle for hours and make up stories and even fighting scenes out of that sheet of paper. When we get older, we stumble and stop at the mistakes that happen allow the way. Sometimes we don't get out of it. Sometimes we need to reflect on our inner child, move forward, and not worry much. When I saw how playful the mural inside A Little Tea was, it reminded me that sometimes being playful, childish, and spontaneous freshen up our lives.

I have a love and hate feeling over milk teas. When I had milk teas for the first time, the flavor was too close to a brewed herbal medicine, displeasing my palate. I always choose flavors out of curiosity, and sometimes it pays off but often disappoints. I always pick the wrong flavor that can please my palate. The milk tea shops often have playful and fun names for their flavors that I often forget every time I buy from the same shop the second time around. Maybe, I am a bit forgetful.

When we have fun, we forget the things that fall apart or the circumstances that weren't good. When we celebrate being spontaneous and childish, we remember the good days, think whatever we can think without limitation, and dream whatever dreams. When the pandemic locks us up in a lifestyle of isolation and uncertainty, we are missing the value of fun and being childish at times. It is okay to make mistakes and take risks, but it is easier said than done. The world becomes way too uncertain, and our gameplay is to play it safe.

Going to A Little Tea was out of the chance, same as staring at the playful wall inside it. I had been adrift in the moment, but although it seems just a brief moment, it is as if life flashes and unfolds lessons to reflect on. Being childish is not a commendable attitude, but we can somehow ignore that it can boost our creativity and imagination. We look at things differently to take risks and be unafraid of mistakes.

We must greet mistakes like an old friend, which teaches us to stay grounded since we are not there yet. Things happen for a reason, and everything has its reason for being the way it is. Sometimes we need to let things happen as they happen and don't be stuck when anything falls apart or ain't right. My visit to the A Little Tea and the pleasing black sugar milk tea reminds me that sometimes spontaneity can be good. The A Little Tea's wall screams contrast outlook about life, playful, minimalist, or a splash of in-betweens.

I went strolling around since I got bored and things seemingly not falling into the right places for a couple of months now. Being mature is more acceptable to others than being childish. I agree with that, but sometimes we need to look into our inner child for that spark and fire to keep going despite the mistakes and how ugly things are. When we don't feel that everything works fine right now, that's fine; we need to breathe and remind ourselves of how incredible we are and the things that we do.

We have no idea what awaits us in this complicated, sometimes shady world we live. It is okay that we sometimes mess up. We must begin pulling out our inner child and be open and optimistic toward life and the good in people. The older we get, the more we close our minds and start welcoming fewer ideas. We let our lives be fucked up because we fucked up. We all have a chance in life to become better. Hmm, I already said too much. I guess that's it for today. Don't forget to celebrate the inner child in you.

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_{All featured photos is courtesy of the author, unless attributed.}