Tea and Me and a Banana with Peanut Butter

I’ve never really been one to enjoy hot tea. However, I found a new love of it when I got the flu this year. It wasn’t about the flavor. It was all about the feeling. Let me explain…

Do you remember the feeling of your mother taking care of you when you were sick? There was always the thermometer, potentially Vick’s vapor rub, homemade chicken noodle soup with lots of broth, and of course the myriad of cough syrup flavors that you reluctantly consumed. There were always those remedies that she had instilled in her through her own mother when she was sick as a child. “Drink plenty of water and hot liquids”, she still says to this day.

My dad and her brought over two boxes of tea and a large honey bear for me after I got the flu diagnosis that day. After a few days of having hot tea, it honestly ended up helping to loosen things up. I must admit, it didn’t taste that great. However, it reminded me of the feeling of Mom taking care of her baby when she was sick, and the warmth that memory brings. It reminded me of the love so freely given by my parents, and how much that means to me. It also reminded me that no one is truly alone when they aren’t feeling well. There is always someone that cares enough to bring over hot tea and honey, regardless if it’s your parents or friends. If you’re lucky like I am, you can include your spouse in this as well. I’m fortunate that I still have my parents in my life, and I treasure every day spent with them.

Now about that banana with peanut butter – Along with feeling sick and reminiscing about the younger years, I was reminded of the banana and peanut butter combination. Growing up, my mom would take a banana and slather it with creamy peanut butter. It had to be creamy, even though she loves crunchy the best. Then for some reason, I always insisted on eating it with a toothpick. This sometimes turned into multiple toothpicks if they broke while essentially slicing up the banana. Luckily, on one of our grocery trips before the chaos began, I was able to snag some bananas and relive this wonderful childhood snack. And yes, I ate it with toothpicks at the age of 37, just like I did at the age of 8. Add a little of that honey from your tea on top and really sweeten the deal. A true treat. Enjoy!