Fine Wines

     I have just spent a very nice three days with gals I love, tripping through wineries around Sandusky, Ohio. This is the 18th year of our annual excursion which has definitely evolved over time. This year I have determined that true friendship is like a fine wine. But before I go on, let me clarify what I mean by “fine.” I don’t pick my wine (or friends) by the monetary value- it is the character that I appreciate and find pleasing.

     True friendship warms my heart and instills me with a sense of well-being. You know, like that comfortable warmth that fills you after a sip of your favorite wine. My moments shared with good friends can be light-hearted and sweet like a fruity  strawberry wine. Times when laughter turns to tears and your belly aches and its hard to catch your breath. Enjoying the merriment of life. Yet times with true friends can also be a bit more complex, deep in spirit and a touch dry. These semisweet to dry moments provide me a companion with my thoughts (which tend to travel into deep thinking all too often). The Merlot moments when we explore the world together with our thoughts and beliefs. Or the full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon times- when we provide support and strength to another with hugs, a cry or even just a listen.

     True friends and wine need to be accepted for who they are and not what you wish them to be. Some imperfections exist in the relationship but the overall experience is wonderful. So here I raise a glass and say “cheers” to my true friends, all individuals and unique. All with a different taste for life… yet all a rather fine wine indeed.