Life is tough sometimes. It gets busy. You get overwhelmed. I get overwhelmed... It seems lately that my life is getting quite skilled at getting in the way of my desire to meet strangers for tea – and as such, it took James Walters and I quite some time to actually get around to cup number 26 – a meeting that has, in reality, been in the works for the better part of a year. Between James’ bicycle trip across the UK and his ongoing home renovations, and my own tendency to hop on planes to other worldly destinations – getting together for tea was beginning to seem like it would never happen.
Being unemployed (for a period of time) does have its advantages, it seems – in the interest of having a cup of tea with James, anyway...
I met James in Soho during his lunch hour – finding ourselves a small Italian cafe in which to grab a sandwich and a cup of tea.
What struck me most about James – his willingness to meet me for tea aside – was the value he attributes to creative endeavours; the value in doing something - doing anything at all. Maybe it doesn’t matter so much what we spend our time on, creatively speaking, so long as we have something to act as that creative outlet. I’ve often spent my time wondering about the worth of what I am doing. I mean, post conversation - post cup of tea - I feel great. I feel energised and motivate to keep going – to keep meeting strangers, to keep talking and sharing my way to 100. But then, as has happened time and time again, I become overwhelmed. I revert back to those moments when I am not sure how I can keep doing this – to the moments when I wonder if it is even a good idea. Will I really come out of all of this with a new and improved outlook strong enough to last a life time? Does it matter if I don’t? Do the people that stop by this very site really care about the thoughts I take the time to share with them? Do the people I have already met for tea ever think about me – as I do them – do they ever wonder if I am still at it, meeting random strangers for tea and a bit of social interaction? Realistically, I can’t provide the answers to those questions myself. But meeting James helped me to realize that it doesn’t really matter, does it?
I meet strangers for tea, because I believe it’s worth doing. And maybe I don’t need any more reason than that. I do hope that I can inspire others, in some way, to be more open – socially speaking; to embrace others; to allow more random conversation and connection in their lives. But maybe that will happen if and when it is meant to. Maybe it’s not about trying to be inspirational, but rather, trying simply to be yourself, and do the things that you believe in – the things that you feel are worth while...
Maybe the simple act of following through with those meaningful endeavours – maybe that’s where true inspiration lies; within the actions of a person who believes enough in something, in anything, that they are willing to follow through with it regardless of the cost, the time, the struggles, or the reactions (or lack there-of) from others. Maybe all it takes to create inspiration, is to have the courage to do something - to do anything at all...
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