Being a former member of Her Majesty’s Armed Forces, many centuries ago I might add, I understand that there is one thing that adds joy & merriment to life, especially when you are cold & wet & thoroughly pished-off. That thing is beer. No sorry, I mean tea. Definitely tea & not beer. A cup of steaming hot, tea.
Since the First World War, the ability for a soldier to rustle up a ‘brew’ (a hot cup of tea or other hot drink) whenever & wherever is a skill that is first taught during military basic training. And it is a skill which gets honed from that moment forth.
But why do we squaddies hold the humble brew with such high esteem? Well, besides the obvious instant hit of warmth & rehydration, the act of stopping & setting up a stove & then waiting for the kettle to boil, although not quite as Zen as a full-blown Japanese tea ceremony, offers a little respite from whatever shenanigans you might be involved in, providing the perfect opportunity to pause, take stock & simply CTFD.
Just like my days in uniform I like to use tea making as an excuse to pause and CTFD. It maketh no difference whether I am out on the hoof or out in the back garden, taking time to stop and make a brew is never time wasted. It is a time to stop the mental cogs from spinning and to focus on the important things in life, like ‘how many rashers does it take to make the perfect bacon sandwich?’ and ‘is it wrong to eat a whole pack of dark chocolate Hob-nobs in one sitting?’.
Slow Travelling Man 
You must be logged in to post a comment.