One afternoon my mother ventured to a location unknown to me. All she returned home with was a set of turkish teapots in tow and one of the biggest smiles I can recall. She had been closely observing my habits – counting if you will – how many cups (large and larger) of tea I consumed in a day. Having gathered all the intel needed she set off on a mission to indulge my love for tea which has intensified over the years.

Nothing beats the first sip of a perfectly brewed cup of tea for me. Okay, maybe one or two things, but you get the picture. It’s not just about the brew but the process of brewing that I look forward to. Then when the brewing is done, selecting the right cup, then, getting to sip and reflect as the warmth of tea invades my being.

Tea time at the right time for me?! It is an escape!! An escape that is therapeutic. I get to sit back and let my mind wander. I do confess, on occasion when it has been far too hot I have cranked up the air conditioning to cool the rooms down just so I can enjoy my tea. It is what it is. As I sat for yet another cup this week, my mind turned to plans for 2021. It seems like yet another uncertain year and there has been part of me that has debated about the extent to which I should plan ahead. My internal debate felt familiar and by the third sip of my cup I knew why. I had a similar sense of emotions during a trip I had taken to Malacca (in Malaysia) in December 2018.

I’m usually a planner but for the first time on this trip I had not mapped out my days. I had only gone as far as getting a general idea of what to possibly do. I had reasoned that if I managed to rest, recuperate (mentally and emotionally) and eat, the trip would have been a success. Then after achieving this I’d repeat all three in good measure.

When I checked into my accommodation on the Sunday afternoon, I came across several tourist pamphlets that had some amazing activities. However, the top exciting things to do all seemed to happen between Thursday and Saturday night including the night markets which had particularly drawn my attention. I had not anticipated that the good stuff in the town I’d stay in would all happen on the days I had deliberately chosen to travel elsewhere.

With some dejection, I decided that I’d use the Monday for shopping if I were lucky enough to find a mall and only if the prices were right! When the morning rolled around, I got up early to reorganise my suitcase to ensure I had a clear idea of how much space I had. By the time I finished unpacking and folding up stuff it was time for breakfast. I went down with the one book I had started reading by Paul Collier titled Bottom Billion (yet to finish reading the book some 2+ years later. Life’s been a little hectic since that last page I read on the trip).

After breakfast I set off.  Jonker Street, Malacca. That is where I wound up some hours later. By the time I got to there, I had seen and done more than I may have, had I planned my day. 10minutes after leaving the hotel I found myself in a mall that had some spectacular deals. I made a mental note to return and shop a day before I was set to leave the town. I also spotted a restaurant that turned out to be a perfect dinner spot on one of the evenings.

As I continued walking, I came across a cultural museum where I learnt a lot more about the Malay and Chinese-Malay history. There were also some fascinating architectural buildings I came across. When I eventually decided to try and figure out how far I had walked, I realised that I had made it to the place where the infamous night markets are held from Thursday to Sunday.

There were still some boutiques in the area that were operating, something the pamphlets neglected mentioning. After walking into a few of these and finding some beautiful pieces I arrived at a cosy and quaint café named “The Daily Fix”. By then I was parched and saw it fit to take a break.  My order? A Malay version of iced tea and a pandan mini cake!

As I drank my tea it dawned on me that the day had exceeded my expectations. As a planner I don’t tend to do too well with spontaneity. However, this day had worked out to be just that! At the start I had assumed that the day would be underwhelming and there was a part of me that was somewhat annoyed at my ‘predicament’. However, when I stepped out of the hotel, I had told myself I would find some good in the day and I’d make the most of whatever I encountered.

Now back in Sydney and sipping on my tea with thoughts of 2021 my agitation about the extent of my plans lifted.  There was one key thing that consoled me on that trip which I choose to carry with me this year.  It is the importance of making room for the unexpected. Not only that but recognising that I don’t always need to have it all figured out. There is still a lot of beauty and richness that comes with some of life’s unplanned and unexpected moments if I choose to see it. So, whether it is a moment where I get caught in a downpour unprepared or not, I’ve set my mind to still find something good in it all! With that said, there remains a lot from 2020 I did not get around to – so that vision board from 2020 remains standing with some adjustments. 

Question is, have you put some structures in place that will ensure you get the most out of 2021 in spite of what it may offer?