Once upon a time, there was a mom and her daughter who had a special tradition: every night before bed, they would share a cup of warm tea together.
One cozy evening, the little girl sipped her tea and looked up at her mom. “Mom,” she asked, “does everyone have tea before bed like us?”
Her mom thought for a moment and said, “I’m not sure, but maybe we could share good tea with our community. We could open our very own tea house!”
Her daughter’s eyes lit up. “Can we name it Bliss after our dog? And we have to have treats!”
The mom laughed. “Bliss Tea and Treats it is!”
So they set to work. The mom had to build, paint, and prepare the tea house, all while balancing her dreams with patience and love.
But just when everything was ready, the unexpected happened: the COVID pandemic began. The tea house had to open with “tea to-go,” and though it wasn’t what they had imagined, they were determined to share tea and treats with others.
During this time, something else hard happened—Bliss, their beloved dog, passed away. The little girl and her mom felt a deep sadness. It was hard to even say the name “Bliss” without tears.
But the tea house continued. They opened on Mother’s Day, sharing tea, kindness, and the spirit of Bliss with the world.
Then, not long after, an important movement began—Black Lives Matter. To show their pride and support, the mom placed a sign in their window that read Black Owned. But one morning, they found that their window had been broken because someone didn’t believe a Black person could own a tea house like theirs.
The mom felt the weight of the moment, but she took a deep breath and said, “We will open today. And we will keep sharing tea and love with everyone.” When they opened their doors that day, they saw something amazing: the entire community came out to support them. It turned out to be the busiest day they’d ever had!
Years passed, and the tea house became a beloved part of the community. But then, their landlord decided not to renew their lease. They had to find a new home for Bliss Tea and Treats.
The mom looked around and found inspiration to build a beautiful tea garden space in their backyard which was perfect for a tea house. They planted their garden with love, right near the place where their dog Bliss was laid to rest under a guava tree.
Today, the garden is filled with the scent of fresh tea leaves, herbs, and blossoms. Everything in the garden grows plentifully, as if to say, “You are exactly where you are meant to be.”
Through it all—the challenges, the losses, and the joys—Bliss Tea and Treats had taught them both something very important. Perseverance means continuing on, even when things are hard, because the journey itself is filled with love, strength, and memories.
And every evening, as the mom and her daughter shared their tea, they smiled, remembering Bliss and all they had built together. They had created a place of warmth, kindness, and happiness for everyone in the community to enjoy.
The End.