Many times, we don’t set out to start a tradition. They just seem to happen along life’s way, and as the road bends, we turn with it. This is how our tradition at grandma’s house came about.

I remember Mom and Grandma drinking coffee, but because coffee was gross, my sisters and I had tea. My grandmother’s taste was eclectic. She liked what she liked, and that was that. The tea cups didn’t match but looking at them was like drinking in a painted garden.

Of course, we didn’t like the tea. We liked the sugar cubes. I loved watching the little white crystals turn light brown and dissolve. We’d hold them on the surface of the hot tea, and once they were soaked through, we’d slurp the sweet liquid out of cubes before they disappeared. We were very lady-like.

Growing up is a funny thing. There isn’t a day we decide to stop sipping tea from a sugar cube and start driving a car. Somewhere between forever and a blink, everything changes. For awhile, we didn’t drink tea together with Grandma often anymore. We chased boys and dreams and things I don’t remember.

If you’ve been with me as long as Chocolates and Writing Advice, then you already know she passed away. Many years before that happened, we started an annual tea party with Grandma. The menu changed every year, but one thing didn’t: we always had sugar cubes. I didn’t realize until then that she loved the tradition of the sugar cubes as much or more than we did.

This year on Mother’s Day, I used some of the pieces from her china garden at our breakfast table. When I called my mom, we decided to have our annual tea party again. We’re making plans together, and sugar cubes will be in attendance.

The sweetest things in life are often the little pieces we don’t expect. A tradition doesn’t have to be a grand event or an expensive vacation. All it needs is love to grow the memories that last a lifetime and beyond.

Until next time,

Invent your story