This one looks a bit more appealing. However, you won't see me ordering this tea any time soon.
Boba tea aka "bubble tea" aka Pearl Milk Tea originated in Taiwan in 1980. Pearl milk tea, also known as "boba milk tea", is traditionally made by adding boba balls (made from a mixture of tapioca and carrageenan powder), large or small, to shaken milk black tea.
When I first tried this tea I enjoyed it but really couldn't stand the tapioca balls. Some shops allow you to order the drink without the tapioca which is good news for me.
Or perhaps I can suck up the tapioca balls and use the large straws as a "pea shooter" like device.
Just because I'm a tea lover, don't assume that I love boba tea! It scares me and I pray I won't have boba dreams.
I just posted about Shel Silverstein's childrens' book The Giving Tree. A book that many cherish and one that I certainly adored as a child. Eventually, I came to realize that although there are aspects of the book that can be learned from, the tree was ultimately an enabling figure.
In my earlier post I uploaded some images of Giving Tree themed tattoos. I found the artwork to be quite appealing. I feel the same way about the blow images. It seems that in one way or another The Giving Tree has made an impact on so many who have come to know the book.
The Giving Tree is a childrens book written by Shel Silverstein. The first edition was published in 1963. The book tells the story of young boy and a tree in a forest. The tree always provides the boy with what he needs. Branches to swing from, shade, apples, and branches with which to build a home. As the boy grows older he requires more and more of the tree. The tree loves the boy and gives him anything he asks for.
The book has always been a favorite of mine however, at some point it dawned on me that the tree was actually quite enabling.
1973 film adaptation of The Giving Tree
I suppose the story could be interpreted in different ways. On the one hand I can see how the tree was willing to love the boy without expectation of anything in return. I think that is a grand lesson. However, it seems that although the tree was selfless the boy was not. The boy did not reciprocate love. It seemed that the boy was content to use the tree and take all he could and the tree was willing to give up everything.
As I was looking up information on this tale I came across some incredible artwork. Several Giving Tree themed tattoos.
I can only wonder what it is the book means to these individuals and how it has impacted their lives.
I decided to visit Amazon.com and look up the Giving Tree to see what opinions I might find there. Currently out of the 666 customer reviews, 480 gave four stars and 93 gave one. I read some of the one star reviews and many had the same notion that the tree was actually enabling. Some even labeled the tree "the co-dependent tree."
I'd be curious to know how Shel Silverstein meant the book to be viewed. The story gives off a melancholy feeling and it is difficult for me to imagine that most do not get a sense of it when reading this book.
I can only ask myself if perhaps Silverstein wrote the book as a cautionary tale. Perhaps his intent was to offer an example of selfless love and an example of selfishness. Even so the selflessness of the tree is disappointing as she does not seem to mind the disrespect of the boy. I think there is a distinct difference between selfless giving without the expectation of reciprocation and allowing one to walk all over them.
I think there are aspects of the book that can be learned from however, I feel the book doesn't quite hit the mark.
"If you gave a friend a gift of love, and your friend did not accept it, would that disturb you? If so, your intention was to manipulate your friend. If that were not the case, you would not have been upset. You wanted more than to express your love. You wanted your friend to love you." ---------Gary Zukav (wellness author)
"It requires that you feel your every experience of insecurity. If you cannot feel your own insecurities, you will not be able to see them in others, much less appreciate them in others. Intimacy creates sensitivity. When you are intimate you become sensitive to yourself and also to other people. When you are not intimate, you are sensitive only to yourself, and even then you are not aware of everything that you are feeling." ---------Gary Zukav (wellness author)
For I have known them all already, know them all - have known the evenings, mornings, afternoons, I have measured out my life with coffee spoons." ~T.S. Eliot (Playwright, poet, editor)
I believe story telling is an art form and blogging is a medium in which to share stories and ideas. Within this blog I hope to cover a spectrum of topics. From the serious to the silly. Here you will read my views and inquiries about subjects such as feminism, other various socio-political issues, psychology, spirituality, sexuality, and general interests such as film, art and music. You will also be exposed to my obsession with cupcakes, tea, books, Hello Kitty, and quirky day to day journeys. I enjoy learning from others as I am constantly attempting to introspect, grow and evolve. During this process I will be jotting down musings on this blog. Pull up a comfy chair and a spot of tea and join me!
