Aaron Fisher

“A Thousand mountains will greet my departing friend,
When the spring teas blossom again.
With such breadth and wisdom,
Serenely picking tea—
Through morning mists
Or crimson evening clouds—
His solitary journey is my envy.
We rendezvous at a remote mountain temple,
Where we enjoy tea by a clear pebble fountain.
In that silent night,
Lit only by candlelight,
I struck a marble bell—
Its chime carrying me
A hidden man
Deep into thoughts of ages past.

— "The Day I Saw Lu Yu off to Pick Tea”
― Aaron Fisher, The Way of Tea: Reflections on a Life with Tea

“Ichigo ichie,” which means “one encounter, one chance.” It means that this meeting of people in the tearoom is unique. It will never happen in this way again. Even if we have tea with the same people every day of our lives, each encounter is a unique, bright and shining moment that will never occur again. These diamond moments are our ownmost. They are more precious than gold, for in their totality they are all that we are, you and I.”
― Aaron Fisher, Way of Tea: Health, Harmony, and Inner Calm