The first time I had tea, I was sick with a sore throat. I couldn’t have been more than five years old. My mom handed me a sippy cup filled with tea and honey -- from that moment on, I was in love. As I grew older, I always used the same Aladdin mug, and my favorite tea was, fittingly, Jasmine.

My tastes have changed and expanded, but I still have that mug with me today, and I always drink my morning tea in it. Now I work as a barista at Starbucks, serving up iced and hot teas for the masses. But no matter how many cups of tea I drink, I’ll never forget that first sip.