The Passion beneath the Wrinkles

Right now, what seems like a duel to the death is happening between me and my tea.

A wrinkly scum-like layer is forming again and again at the surface of my tea, and I am removing it again and again.

I pick the layer pinched between my thumb and forefinger, and set it aside on the cup's plate. It's dry, parched and paper-like to touch from the above, while it's abundantly clear that the bottom side is still 'tea-dripping-wet'.
Seconds later, the tea has a new top layer.

The tea is resisting the change, fighting back: I can see the creases of tension and effort as they are forming over the surface.
I remove the layer again, and the tea forms it again. Wow, this tea has got energy!!!
The wrinkles seem to say that the tea is in anguish, angry, frustrated that I am disturbing its equilibrium, furrowing its brows to tell me so.
And yet, this tea is giving it all it has.
Ok, you 'tea'!! My sleeves are rolled up now: let's do this!!
I remove the layer again, and the tea forms it anew.

Haven't you seen this top layer forming over your tea (or milk)? The tea frowns and withers into wrinkles; it looks like an old woman's face.
But if you see beneath the top layer, the tea is still young, hot and vibrant; ready for another fight.

I remove the layer again, and the tea forms it afresh.
I wondered and then I Googled: its called "tea-scum" (could have been given a better word: what about 'teankle' ? tea-wrinkle ).

I don't drink tea often. In fact, I don't drink tea at all. Maybe that's why I can't think of ingesting this 'scum'.

Wait, the tea seems to be losing the contest.
As the tea is getting cooler and colder (that's an intentional expression), the layers aren't forming with that much rigor anymore. The tea is trying its best, but losing the bout.
It seems that the layers were forming due to the temperature difference between the hot tea and the cooler air above. Every-time I removed the top layer, the tea was trying to regain its equilibrium.
But now, the temperature inside the tea is the same as the outside. Like a cold corpse.
Now, the tea has lost its heat, its life-energy, its passion.

Tea connoisseurs say that the tea tastes good only while it's hot. Its like when a tiger prefers to kill a deer and eat it while it's still fresh, the meat still warm; rather than when it's already dead for hours.
The tea is alive when it's hot when it's still producing the wrinkles, the anguished layer, the scum.
When it has done fighting the cold air, when the scum stops getting formed, when the tea has succumbed to the temperature difference, the tea is dead.
The taste is gone. Who likes tea gone cold? (not talking about iced-teas here, they have their own issues I am sure).

The withered layers that form on your face and body and heart and mind over the years are proof that you are alive, that there is still heat and passion inside of you.
The wrinkles on your face when you are angry and frustrated, the frowns when you don't like how the outside world feels, are good: they mean you are still alive.
If your top-layer is being removed again and again, if you are being taken away from your comfort zone, your equilibrium, fight back like the tea does.

When all the creases that were to form over your body have formed and there are no more wrinkles forming anymore, you are dead.
When bizarre anomalies, abnormal ideas, idiotic thoughts, thought-less adventures, adventurous wishes, wishful dreams stop getting created in your heart and over the surface of your mind, you are dead.
When you don't have heat and energy and passion left to create a wrinkly-layer of equilibrium if yet another layer is peeled off of you, you are dead.

Let the scum keep forming. Enjoy the anguish. Keep the fire burning.
And yeah, drink your tea while it's still hot.
That's a great way to spend a peaceful Saturday: with a nice warm cup of tea.
Scum is good. :)

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noun: scum
    a layer of dirt or froth on the surface of a liquid. "green scum found on stagnant pools"
    synonyms:    film, layer, covering, froth, foam, suds, dross, dirt.
Tea-Scum: http://www.abc.net.au/science/k2/trek/4wd/Over58.htm