A Cup Dreaming of Black Bean Tea
It all started with an open letter.
I met a man living in Ukraine (whom I affectionately call “Pony” here because of his love for apples). His writing was so full of humor that it often made me laugh out loud, forgetting the distance between us.
Pony enjoys his daily life, even while being at the mercy of his two beloved cats. He is an artistic soul who loves tea, takes beautiful photographs, and loves movies, music, and the universe. He has shared his original compositions with me on several occasions. The first melody he played for me, in particular, transcended the language barrier, stirring my soul and moving me to tears.
Hearing my deep voice—which I’ve always been insecure about—he told me, “It sounds like warm jazz or a quiet night. It fits you perfectly.”
On another occasion, to me, who was expressing anxiety about the high possibility of a major earthquake in Japan, he gifted a digital stamp featuring a dreamcatcher and said: “I am sending you a dreamcatcher. Usually, it catches bad dreams, but I gave this one a special mission. I asked it to catch not just nightmares, but also any ‘tremors of the earth.’ So if the ground ever decides to shake, let this web catch all the vibrations and guard your peace.” Even now, I cherish his words and that stamp as my lucky charm.
Looking back, I recall how, at the very beginning of our correspondence, he asked me about my favorite tea. I told him it was black bean tea. Seeing a photo of his favorite mug, he remarked, “Now this cup dreams of having black bean tea poured into it.” Just the other day, we were finally able to make that dream come true.
Now, we share a new dream: to one day meet in person, play his favorite board games, drink tea together, sing his songs, and introduce him to my beloved family. We have also made some small promises for the future: I will send him photos of cherry blossoms when spring arrives, and I will make his favorite Greek salad when summer comes.
Even in harsh circumstances, he continues to create humor and wonderful music. Inside him, I feel a “blue flame”—quiet, yet burning with strength. And now, I feel that same flame has been lit within my own heart. This light encourages me and makes my everyday life brighter and warmer.
Just as his voice crossed the ocean to reach me, the illustration I drew has also traveled across the sea to him. The digital stamp he gave me through the screen remains by my side as a precious lucky charm. And the photo of the cup that finally saw its dream come true has become a symbol of the deep connection we share across the waters. I would like to share all of these with you.
I truly believe that by connecting deeply with someone across borders, we can make this planet a more loving and wonderful place. I hope that you, who are reading this, will also find a wonderful pen pal of your own.
Through Slowly, I found a friend who feels like family. I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to the Slowly team for providing the place for this wonderful encounter. Thank you so very much.
