The Power of a Smile: A Tea Ceremony Encounter Overcoming Anxieties with Unexpected Kindness
A smile possesses an enigmatic strength, capable of soothing the atmosphere and alleviating one’s anxieties. Its influence surpasses eloquent words and material gifts, proving an invaluable treasure. Maxime and Peppin embodied this very power. The previous day, Naoko and I practiced explaining the tea ceremony in a workshop, but I struggled to explain the tea grinder properly, and my chronic back pain flared up again, causing me a lot of anxiety.
I was standing at Hankyu Arashiyama Station holding a piece of paper printed with the Dutch flag just before our 3 PM meeting. Then, a young couple approached me right away. Their faces beamed with warm smiles, welcoming me with open arms. In that instant, my anxieties vanished, replaced by an unwavering confidence that today, I would ensure they enjoyed the tea ceremony workshop.
They had been visiting Japan for a few weeks, and they had already seen many places, including Fukuoka, Kagoshima, Yakushima, Hiroshima, Onomichi, and many more. They had traveled to many places that even Naoko and I had never been to. Well-versed in Japanese culture, Peppin was interested in Japanese architecture, while Maxime was interested in various aspects of Japanese culture, including “ikebana” (flower arrangement). I hoped that tea ceremony would also become one of their interests.
Dear Peppin and Maxime,
We hope you enjoyed your tea ceremony workshop at Komurasaki An. Your passion for Japanese culture was evident in the many questions you asked during the workshop, and both Naoko and I were very impressed with your dedication to learning. We also want to thank you for always smiling and accepting our broken English. Your enthusiasm is a great motivation for us to continue holding workshops in the future. Maxime, we heard that your parents would like to visit Japan in October and you highly recommended Komurasaki An’s tea ceremony workshop. If your parents do come to Japan, Naoko and I would be happy to do our best to welcome them. We heard that both of you will be visiting Kanazawa tomorrow. Please be safe on your travels. We will never forget your smiles. Sincerely, Naoko & Aki at Komurasaki An
