Tracey Fletcher King. You know her. She’s a huge presence in our brand and an ever-present spirit in our heart. Tracey, the most graciously optimistic and loving cancer fighter you can imagine, is now no longer with us on earth. But that’s not what I’m focusing on, because for as long as I’m still here, her friendship is forever with me.
So I’d like to share this important friend and friendship with all of you, because she and I came together thanks to The Tea Spot and our 10% FOR WELLNESS pledge which has guided my energy since our inception. At the conclusion of this post you can experience her artistry in action yourselves, and you may recognize the finished work as one of our widely distributed bulk packages.
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Sharing Some Communications with Tracey -
I love that she’s Australian, that we both love nature and the outdoors, and that while we’re heading into fall weather here, she’s getting excited about spring and soon heading to the beach. TFK: “I hope you are doing great and having a fabulous time. Our time at the beach was so magical it wasn’t funny. Long days swimming and napping and laughing. An almost perfect holiday to tell you the truth.… you inspire me to keep getting out there and pushing out into the world. I am just home from a few days up in the mountains exploring and getting out into nature and immersed in the rainforest in winter… so rejuvenating, and while I wish I had the energy for your bike riding efforts… I have stuck with gentle strolls and some light sketching… you can do the crazy bike riding challenges for me…”
I cherish having an always optimistic but realistic and sometimes frustrated cancer fighter with whom I can be real in my exchanges about this fight that we don’t wish to drag all our family into. How many people do you know who are still cheerful to be tolerating chemo after more than a year of weekly treatments? Tracey makes me buy into the stereotype that all Australians are seriously badass. TFK: “… 43 weeks into chemo but he has me down for lots more cycles as long as I am tolerating it so that’s great!”
I am absolutely tickled and delighted over her love for our teas! I can’t think of anyone we’ve touched with our tea who is as enthusiastic a fan as is Tracey. TFK: “You have the best teas in the world, Maria. I am loving oolongs a ridiculous amount and wake up craving it so it is a sign that my body is looking for it. I am about to start week 47 of chemo on Friday I think.”
I am so grateful for this friend who is always unfailingly loving, supportive and optimistic. She shared, “I have been meaning to write this for about 2 weeks but time has disappeared as we have been buried in renovations here. I live in a mountain of dust and debris at the moment but it is going to be amazing when it is done… well that is what I am telling myself!”
Our tagline, which appears all over her packaging, defines Tracey to a T: “Thirst for Life”. Indeed.
Tracey, I am grateful for you being in my life. Something that we shared is knowing that our time here is temporary. But few others have truly lived like you!
xoxo Maria
PS: I'm also grateful that she had heard this from me before today, more than once <3