How does loving tea translate into loving life? And how about it raising charity Awareness?

Social media is an interesting puzzle, the riddle being more in the ability to connect while effectively being distanced and creating disconnections because of that; allowing for intellectualism to overpower physicality and allowing it to inform emotional re-enforcement. Introducing tea into the picture is also a bit of a Zen riddle as it links this initial paradox with a substance that for most of history has been a one that has crafted societies, created wars, dominated trade, determine politics, and all over the pleasure of a sensory experience. So bring the sensory experience to the social media platform and there is so much interplay of dualism that it’s not hard to wonder at what relationships form and inform each social bundle – particularly the ones that form networks of share and exchange.
I took a leap today, one that I haven’t yet seen on this site and unveiled myself and my inner motivations along with something that contributes to this culture of sharing. I presented a charity cause and introduced myself more fully to my ‘community’ here, while at the same time offering the promise of a prize of tea for those who felt compassion for my situation. The post is below and I hope you will read it, ultimately forward it, and with promise this might flourish beyond a handful of people and do what was originally intended: celebrate my Mother’s life, her love of tea, share a gift of it, while at the same time share awareness of ALS and its destructive damage hidden in our communities. Will this give strength to a sharing community to believe that every social media construct can be a tool for broader self-awareness? For a broader social awareness? For a foundation for new layers of complexity, like in the flavors we search for in a cup of tea? Sip by sip, I guess we will see. Thank you for your consideration.
Post below:
Ok Earl Grey lovers do I have a treat for you! As some who have explored my profile may have gleaned, I am not only a tea lover, but I am also an active cyclist and charity athlete.
I also have the fortune of working for a company that loves its tea and coffee and over the years I have been in the position to do tea talks and lectures (doing about a dozen a year); many of them charitable. One that I love to do each year is the Groveport Ladies Spring Tea Fling, a charity event that serves the local community.
Many of my generous tea vendors donate tea for this event and this springs event there was a hold over: 1 # of Organic Earl Grey from the Tao of Tea.
As it so happens, I am in the process of fund raising for a cause I feel very strongly about: ALS, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease and outside the US as Motor Neuron Disease (MND) or Charcot’s Disease, it is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that attacks motor neurons in the brain (upper motor neurons) and spinal cord (lower motor neurons) and affects muscle function.
This disease killed my mom in 2006. So this is personal.
So for the last 5 years I have done a 270 mile in 3 day bike ride from Boston to NY to raise money for ALSTDI, a medical research center devoted to finding a cure for ALS/MS. I am down to my last 2 weeks before the ride and I’m still only ½ way to the goal and could use your help.
So from now until Tues. the 19th, I am asking this wonderful tea community to please consider donating to my ALS ride at:
http://tst.als.net/alswarriorohio2011
and I’m asking that you kindly forward this message on to others you might know, as this disease is more common than you think and it is devastating to families and to lives.
What does this have to do with tea?
Well, if anyone makes a donation from the Steepster community and puts ‘tea’ in the ‘comments’ box on the donation they make, on July 18th I will draw from that group of tea fans a name and they will received, shipped to their home, a full pound of Organic Earl Grey from the Tao of Tea!
My mother loved tea. I would love to save another tea lover from ALS by doing more than just hoping for a cure.
Thank you,
Shawn Schulte, ALSWARRIOR – http://alswarriorohio.wordpress.com – AKA Kashyap