Iroh

As Fire Lord, there is always another decision to make, another problem to solve, another meeting waiting just around the corner. When I suggested he take a break, he told me he could not.

"Uncle," he had said, "this is what I wanted, isn't it?"

I thought about this for a while over a cup of tea.

When we are young, we often choose a destination for ourselves. We say, "I will be a soldier," or "I will be a ruler," or "I will be a great artist." Then we spend years walking toward that future.

But a destination is not a prison.

Sometimes, after reaching the place you dreamed of, you discover there are other mountains you would like to climb. Sometimes you learn that the path you chose no longer brings you joy. Sometimes you simply need to sit beneath a tree and rest before continuing.

There is no shame in any of these things.

The future is like a river. You may guide your boat, but the water is always moving. New paths appear. Old paths disappear. The person you become at the end of the journey may be someone you never imagined when you first set out.

So work hard toward your goals, my friends. But remember to rest when you are tired. And if one day your heart leads you in a different direction, do not be afraid to follow it.

After all, even the finest tea leaves must be allowed to wander in the water before they reveal their true flavor.

He is correct. It is hot leaf water. And the leaves matter. And the temperature of the water matters. And the vessel you drink it from matters. And who you share it with matters most of all.

It reminded me how everything in this life moves in cycles.

Just as winter teaches us to turn inward and rest, spring whispers that it is safe to open once more. The trees do not rush. They do not apologize for the months they spent bare and quiet. They simply stretch toward the light when it returns, trusting that warmth will come.

So too with us.

If these longer days find you still carrying pieces of winter in your heart. A quiet sadness, an old regret, or simply the weariness of what was, know that it is alright.

Let the sun touch those places gently. You do not have to bloom perfectly or all at once. A single petal opening is enough. One small act of joy. One deep breath. One warm cup of tea shared with a friend (or with yourself).

I watched a young turtle-duck today chase a butterfly across the pond, clumsy and full of life, and I smiled. We are all a little clumsy when we first step back into the light. But the trying itself is beautiful.

May this spring find you softening, healing, and slowly turning toward whatever warmth you need. The seasons change. So can we.

I am brewing a fresh pot of jasmine in honor of the blossoms.

There is a cup waiting for you here, whenever you are ready.

~ General Iroh