Poems & Laughter
from the Purple Hat Ladies Tea Society

THE PURPLE HAT
(Beautiful Women)

Age 3: She looks at herself and sees a Queen.
Age 8: She looks at herself and sees Cinderella.
Age 15: She looks at herself and sees an Ugly Sister (Mom, I can't go to school looking like this!)
Age 20: She looks at herself and sees "too fat/too thin, too short/too tall, too straight/too curly"- but decides she's going out anyway.
Age 30: She looks at herself and sees "too fat/too thin, too short/too tall, too straight/too curly"-but decides she doesn't have time to fix it so she's going out anyway.
Age 40: She looks at herself and sees "too fat/too thin, too short/too tall, too straight/too curly"-but says, "At least, I am 'clean"and goes out anyway.
Age 50: She looks at herself and sees "I am" and goes wherever she wants to go.
Age 60: She looks at herself and reminds herself of all the people who can't even see themselves in the mirror anymore. Goes out and conquers the world.
Age 70: She looks at herself & sees wisdom, laughter and ability, goes out and enjoys life.
Age 80: Doesn't bother to look. Just puts on a purple hat and goes out to have fun with the world.
Maybe we should all grab that Purple Hat a little earlier.
The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears,
The figure that she carries, or the way she combs her hair.
The beauty of a woman must be seen within her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart, the place where love resides.
The beauty of a woman is not in a facial mole.
But true beauty of a woman is reflected in her soul.
It is the caring that she lovingly gives, the passion that she shows,
And the beauty of a woman with passing years only grows

Lillian Barry reads this poem before every tea held by the Purple Hat Ladies Tea Society.

A Cup of Tea
When the world is all at odds,
And the mind is all at sea,
Then cease the useless tedium,
And brew a cup of tea.
There is magic in its fragrance.
There is solace in its taste,
The laden moments vanish
Somewhere into space,
And the world becomes a lovely thing!
There's beauty as you see,
All because you briefly stopped
To have a cup of tea.

-Author Unknown

A Witty Miramichier

A man on the Miramichi calls his son in Calgary two days before Easter and says, "I hate to ruin your day, but I have to tell you that your mother and I are divorcing; forty-five years of misery is enough." She is even wearing a purple hat now, and calling me an angel.

"Pop, what are you talking about?" the son screams.

"We can't stand the sight of each other any longer," the father says. "We're sick of each other, and I'm sick of talking about this, so you call your sister in Vancouver and tell her."

Frantic, the son calls his sister, who explodes on the phone.

"No way they're getting divorced!" she shouts, "I'll take care of this."

She calls the Miramichi immediately and screams at her father, "You are not getting divorced. Don't do a single thing until I get there. I'm calling my brother back, and we'll both be there by tomorrow. Until then, don't do a thing, DO YOU HEAR ME?" and hangs up.

The old man hangs up his phone and turns to his wife.

"Okay," he says. "They're coming for Easter and paying their own way. Now, get out your Purple Hat, and shine up my halo!"

- Joan Cripps, Founder of The Purple Hat Ladies Tea Society.
rayjoanc@nbnet.nb.ca