There was a time in my life when everything was changing.

I had made the difficult decision to leave an unhealthy relationship and begin again. As a single mother, I was stepping into a new chapter filled with hope, but also uncertainty.

One Mother's Day, while preparing Sunday dinner in my kitchen, I reached into my pantry and found a box of jasmine green tea that had been included in a food pantry donation earlier that week.

Until then, the only tea I had ever known was sweet iced tea. I had never experienced loose-leaf or herbal teas, and I had certainly never imagined that one simple cup could change the way I cared for myself.

I remember holding the box and admiring the delicate jasmine flowers printed on the front. Before I even brewed it, the aroma escaped the package. It was soft, floral, and unlike anything I had ever experienced.

It felt as though nature had quietly stepped into my kitchen.

As the tea steeped, I watched the steam rise from the cup. Everything seemed to slow down.

Then I took my first sip.

I can't fully explain it, but in that moment, I felt a sense of peace I hadn't experienced in a very long time.

For just a few minutes, the worries of starting over faded into the background.

It was only a cup of tea.

Yet somehow, it became so much more.

That single cup began a journey that transformed my daily life.

I started exploring herbal teas, green teas, black teas, rooibos, hibiscus, chamomile, peppermint, and so many others. Each one invited me to slow down, breathe deeply, and create intentional moments of rest in the middle of busy days.

My tea ritual became an act of self-care.

It reminded me that caring for myself wasn't selfish—it was necessary.

The more I embraced those quiet moments, the more I found myself becoming calmer, more present, and better able to care for the people I love.

Tea became part of my wellness journey—one that nurtured not only my body, but also my mind, my soul, and my spirit.

And that's how Malkia Teas was born.

- L.M.
Founder, Malkia Teas