Good morning, dear tea friends. I come to you today with a bit of a heavy heart as tomorrow will mark the 3 year anniversary of the passing of our founder, Rob OBrien. Rob opened Good Life Tea in 2013 and it has been growing and flourishing since. It has become quite a large part of my life and I am eternally grateful that Rob manifested it into existence. For those of you who didn't get the pleasure to meet Rob, I will tell you that he was a man of few words, but his few words were always pertinent and inspiring. We honor this trait of his at the shop with what has come to be known as our "Words of Wisdom". When you receive our teas you will notice that in each bag is a small green slip of paper with a quote on it. Each quote was something that Rob would say or believed to be true and they are small reminders for us and our customers of the important things in life. Some of them include:
Let go of worry.
Take time to dream.
Be a loving person.
Find joy from within.
Kindness makes smiles.
Do a good deed.
Follow your bliss.
Speak the truth.
Be brave.
Be Yourself.
Make everyday count.
Plan ahead but live now.
You matter.
Everything changes.
Dare to dream big.
Worrying does nothing.
Enjoy your tea time.
Love one another.
These were the principles to which Rob wanted Good Life Tea to be built upon and it is how we continue to run it today. I reached out to a few of our loyal customers about their experiences with Rob and I will share a few of their responses here as they fully embody the person that he was.
"I loved Rob for his calming presence. Whenever I would enter the tea shop, I instantly felt accepted and at ease. He just had a wonderfully peaceful aura about him."
"When COVID started I was worried about coming out and didn't feel comfortable coming into the tea shop. Rob took it upon himself to hand deliver my tea. I make a special and specific blend and when I needed your tea, he didn't hesitate to bring it directly to me. In a time when I was scared and feeling lonely, he helped me to feel like there was an end in sight and reminded me that there are good people out there."
"Rob made me feel the same way that holding a warm cup of tea between my hands feels. He was a warm person to be around and made me feel safe and accepted."
"Whenever I would come into the tea shop and speak with Rob, I always was pleasantly pleased with whatever conversation transpired. It wasn't even always about tea. I so appreciated that he wasn't solely trying to sell to me and that he saw me as a person rather than just a customer."
"I loved Rob's commitment to bettering himself and those around him. He made continual efforts to make our tomorrow's better than our today."
I certainly can resonate with all of these descriptions of Rob and miss him dearly myself. He was a wonderful man and has left a beautiful legacy with Good Life Tea. I believe that he would be proud of the work we have done since his passing and like to think his spirit lives on with us in the tea shop. Here's to you today, Rob. I'll be enjoying a cup of your favorite Kyoto Cherry Rose in your honor tomorrow. Happy sipping.
I first spoke with Rob a few years ago. You say he was a man of few words? Not at all! He and I talked about “the neighb” I lived on Eastern Parkway and Underhill Ave—directly across from the mighty Brooklyn Public Library. We exchanged views of how times were changing and Rob relayed as to why he’d moved so far away. I thought that our discourse was important for him and even had a slight sense that he may have missed Brooklyn (even a wee bit!) I was so saddened when I heard of his passing. I never knew what Rob looked like! As I see now—quite a dashing, dapper fellow, indeed! Do not worry, Susan. I believe that you will one time, in fact—see him again—in the ‘Spirit World.’ I am Italian-Irish. This is my unyielding belief. Be well, safe and “Blessed Be.” With reverence,
Laura Anne Pizzicara
I first spoke with Rob a few years ago. You say he was a man of few words? Not at all! He and I talked about “the neighb” I lived on Eastern Parkway and Underhill Ave—directly across from the mighty Brooklyn Public Library. We exchanged views of how times were changing and Rob relayed as to why he’d moved so far away. I thought that our discourse was important for him and even had a slight sense that he may have missed Brooklyn (even a wee bit!) I was so saddened when I heard of his passing. I never knew what Rob looked like! As I see now—quite a dashing, dapper fellow, indeed! Do not worry, Susan. I believe that you will one time, in fact—see him again—in the ‘Spirit World.’ I am Italian-Irish. This is my unyielding belief. Be well, safe and “Blessed Be.” With reverence,
Laura Anne Pizzicara
I first spoke with Rob a few years ago. You say he was a man of few words? Not at all! He and I talked about “the neighb” I lived on Eastern Parkway and Underhill Ave—directly across from the mighty Brooklyn Public Library. We exchanged views of how times were changing and Rob relayed as to why he’d moved so far away. I thought that our discourse was important for him and even had a slight sense that he may have missed Brooklyn (even a wee bit!) I was so saddened when I heard of his passing. I never knew what Rob looked like! As I see now—quite a dashing, dapper fellow, indeed! Do not worry, Susan. I believe that you will one time, in fact—see him again—in the ‘Spirit World.’ I am Italian-Irish. This is my unyielding belief. Be well, safe and “Blessed Be.” With reverence,
Laura Anne Pizzicara
A lovely man.
I find it hard to believe a full year has already passed since Rob died. Schooling was different all of this year and still is focused on safety of students and staff. We were our masks but no longer fear so much about going out and visiting our favorite shops. THAT makes a huge difference, all of you at Good LIfe Tea who keep the warmth and welcoming attitude that has been the essence of this unique store. Know that you are never alone, you are doing wonderful work. It is more than work; it is creating comfort and a more simple approach to life. A cup of tea warms the heart, not just the rest of the body and the soul is thereby enriched for good. Love, peace, joy!