Shu, bit and bit more

I noticed some change in my tea drinking pattern. Just several years ago, in 2009-ish, I still didn't get what was in shu puerh that could be enjoyable. Sure I could always drink it, most of the time with food, but I rarely found a shu interesting. Later on, I came across with some interesting shu, and liked shu better. But still, for a long time, I didn't think shu was as interesting as some other tea genres such as green tea, oolong, and sheng!

Then, before I noticed it, I have been drinking more and more shu, and enjoying it more and more. I analyzed my behaviors and now understand why I enjoy shu more and more. The simple truth is, I've come to enjoy more of things warm, mellow and rich in a peaceful way, because I'm AGING!!

I still love green tea with fresh youth in it, and oolong or sheng with aroma and strength. But my body system does not like to take too much powerful tea at one time. On the other hand, my body system could enjoy all day long shu or aged tea that may not have a strong "kick" but have a soothing power. Even with some oolong, red tea or white tea, when I receive some new tea, I no longer feel I have to taste them ASAP. Instead, I would feel it's totally ok to wait for a while, and it wouldn't matter even if I forget about them for a couple of years, because chances are, they are going to get milder - because I'm AGING!

In the past, I've heard people (mostly older guys) saying, if someday, you learn to enjoy tea with aged aroma, or enjoy the Chi in tea instead of just the taste, that means you've come to really understand the dept of tea drinking. Well..., DON'T BUY IN IT!! Them old guys always have something recondite to say, to make themselves sound authoritative and wise. One's tea taste could change with time being, not necessarily because one is gaining a higher level of taste or getting spiritually wiser. It could be, simply, because of aging. If I could still handle 8 types of powerful and aromatic teas in one afternoon, I would do it in a heartbeat!

I'm not against aging. But let's not pretend aging means entering a higher level of human being.

On the other hand, I feel there are a lot of interesting things to explore in the process of aging. For example, I feel I've built up a better friendship with me, and have come to know me better and better. In tea drinking (and other types of eating or drinking), my behavior is less driven by wish, but more by intuition of what would make me feel comfortable and healthy. So when me chooses shu, then let it be!