Joyful Storyteller

Warm. Spicy. Cozy. Soothing.

MMM. Just one more sip of this delicious chai and I’ll finish this holiday post… I promise!

Oh, hey, fun fact: “chai” means “tea.” So, the next time you’re ordering a cup, no need to say “chai tea” because you’re really saying “tea tea.” Just say “chai, please.” (And, do say “thank you”. Our lovely baristas work for pennies under a great deal of stress from caffeine deprived customers. Your kind words will definitely bring a smile!).

I fell in love with chai when my college roommate’s mom put a steaming cup in front of me. That beautiful caramel color and the sweet aroma of warm spices wafting up made each sip heavenly! I had just toured mama’s kitchen and surmised that it could pass for a “spice” library. On the walls hung bookshelves that were completely lined with glass jars filled to the brim with spices (which were, by the way, not labeled!). I had a good feeling about this cup of chai.

And, yah. It did not disappoint. Warm. Spicy. Cozy. Soothing.

Many years later (ok, you do the math… I graduated from Mills College in 1990), wherein I remained chai-less, a family friend and neighbor brought over a carafe of this delicious gold. I fell in love again. And decided it was definitely time to figure out the magic behind the chai.

So, five recipes later and consultations with my college roommate (thank you, Resh!) and our neighbor… Home-made chai is now a favorite morning staple. I hope you’ll give it a go…. the recipe is at the end of this lovely post.

Warm. Spicy. Cozy. Soothing.

My super hip teenager loves to “spill the tea”. In our conversations there is warmth, a whole lot of spice, and it’s definitely cozy and soothing to connect. Chai and people are like a balm to my soul.

We should all practice “spilling the tea” more often. I mean, stuff happens to everyone, right? It’s how we react to it that really counts. And, believe me, going it alone isn’t always the best plan. You need people. And, maybe a cup of chai.

The holidays, in particular, can be a very difficult time. Lots of memories of holiday’s past seem to seep up with every carol, like the steam rising from my chai. Don’t be fooled. My life did not resemble a Hallmark movie in any way. However, I will gladly curl up on the couch and binge Christmas movies in a heartbeat!

In the span of six years, my life was completely turned upside-down. It is only by God’s grace and the generous hearts of his people that I somehow found joy in the midst of all this sorrow:

• My son’s two-year battle with life-threatening cancer at 18 months of age;
• Sudden passing of my in-laws;
• End of my 16-year communications/PR career at Levi’s; and,
• Loss of the first home we owned to the PG&E blast in San Bruno, CA

The holidays remind me of my dad (my parents divorced when I was four and he passed away suddenly when I was 25). I hear his booming laugh and see his big smile. My simple soul finds comfort through memories of trimming the tree with my mom to our really big and noisy family gatherings filled with laughter and good food.

Once again, it was my people community that carried me through both the difficult and the good times. Warm. Spicy. Cozy. Soothing.

In this new year, I pray you might be inspired to find strength, inspiration, and resilience by engaging with people. Quarantine made us couch dependent. We become distracted by social media and, probably, a little out of touch with life. Dive back in, with chai in hand. We are on this journey together. Find your Warm. Spicy. Cozy. Soothing.

Come on over and let’s chai together.

Blessings to you this Christmas season,

Love the Yee Family: Joyce, Al, Kenny, Teo and Aly

Try a cuppa’ chai. Here are a few benefits:

• Promotes Cellular Health: Rich in antioxidants from camellia sinensis tea plant, cinnamon bark, cloves and cardamom, chai can reduce free radicals and prevent degenerative diseases.
• Flavonoids & A Healthy Heart: Chai is packed with flavonoids that have been shown to prevent plaque buildup in the arteries which reduces heart stress. Cinnamon can eliminate harmful cholesterol as well.
• Happy Tummy: Ginger and cardamom are powerful digestive aids and can help your digestive system to work properly.
• Focus & Energy: Chai has a moderate amount of caffeine. It provides a nice boost of energy without the caffeine jitters.
• Say Goodbye To Inflammation: Black tea, cardamom, cinnamon and ginger can help with inflammation in the body as well as soothe chronic pain and sore muscles.
• Additional benefits can include: soothing headaches, boosting the immune system and warding off colds, enhancing brain power, and more!

Try this delicious, spicy & perfectly warm chai!

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