Many of us have heard the same phrase relating to something that is … well, what it is.

It’s that happening that occurs and the only explanation is … well, it is what it is. You can’t do anything about it and one just has to shrug and accept it.

In case you are missing our current heat wave, it’s been a barnburner and it seems kind of early for such a hot spell of weather. We can help to control climate change in the long run, but for now, the heat is here and … well, it is what it is. That means to be careful outside, watch your children and yourself to not expose yourselves to too much sun and heat.

In other words, be careful, the weather is what it is.

As we travel our life’s path, we encounter numerous such moments, and of course, in some fashion or another, we get through them. For instance…

A couple of such moments pop into my head. When I graduated from college, the Vietnam War was in full deadly swing and the draft board was latching onto any young male within arm’s length — unless your Daddy could pay off someone to release you from being drafted! I was drafted and had to make a choice of either entering the Army or choosing another branch of service before the Army grabbed me. I choose the Navy and am happy I did so.

Would I have joined the military without the threat of being drafted? No, I am not a military person and that doesn’t make me less of an American citizen. It’s just not who I am and it is what it is. Am I proud to have served, yes! But, free choice is always better than having no choice.

Another personal example — my mother was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis quite early in her marriage. The disease slowly took away her ability to use her arms, hands and legs. My parents tried many ways to mitigate the movement of the malady, but it won.

As kids, we watched Mom lose what we so took for granted — the ability to walk, handle a cup of coffee and so many other things. We learned thee wasn’t much we could do about it and we were there for her as much as we could be … or truth be known, as much as she would allow us to help her. She may have lost limb movement but she hadn’t lost her will to be herself — we learned that early on and also that it is what it is.

There are things we can all learn from those types of life experiences and one lesson I learned from them is to understand that some things in life are mysteries — they are what they are at the moment and we adapt (not accept!) them and help each other as much as possible.

I would love to see a bottle of wine with the name “It is what it is!” It would mean to me that the wine maker may be the maker but she/he doesn’t fully understand the wonderful mystery of wine.

It may sound a bit simple and childish but, wine is a mystery and always has been. It’s not so much the making of the liquid that is a mystery to us but rather in its ability to make us see things from simply sipping the beverage.

Yes, I know! Distillers and beer brew masters will take me to task but here’s why I say what I say. When I take a dram of scotch, I don’t see or taste the land in which the makings where grown. Yes, I can see the distillery, the people there and taste the great taste of the liquid but I can’t see the soil. When I quaff a beer, I can smell the malt and hops and enjoy the heck out of them but … I can’t see the ground or environment from which the ingredients derived.

That is not taking anything from these beverages — they can be delicious! Who can argue with the fantastic taste of a bit of the Glenlivet Single Malt Scotch Whisky? Nobody! Who can argue with the exciting taste of a glass of Brau Brothers Bancreagie Peated Scotch Ale? Nobody! It a beautiful beer and I’ll defend it to anyone but…

Wine takes me to places and it’s the only beverage that does that.

And, the mystery then continues because the wine never completely reveals itself and that’s why wine makers continue to make the liquid — to find the mystery of the grape’s liquid and fully reveal it to us. That’s why every wine — even those made from grapes from the same vineyard and exposed to the same production methods — has its own unique little hidden pleasure…every bottle of it.

What does wine say to you? What do you see when you take a glass of it?

So, now it’s time for a sip of that mysterious beverage called wine. I’ll unscrew the top from a very chilled bottle of Pomelo Wine Company’s Sauvignon Blanc and do my best to chill down in the midst of this heat wave.

It is what it is.

As always, eat and drink moderation but laugh with reckless abandon!

Cheers!