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Quite a bit of time ago and while attending college, I took a couple years of German classes.
Shortly after college, I was stationed in Germany for two years, and discovered that learning a language academically is much different than living the language. Yes, I could stumble through a sentence, but I was happy the Germans I associated with knew English better than I knew German. I discovered it's best to be silent and let the other person speak for me. In my case, silence was golden!
Silence has always been important to me. I expect you seek it, too. It was always a moment I sought, and one of my go to sites for it, is a library. For many years, I kind of took them for granted. They were always there for me, and I could find or order any book I wanted. Yep, I took them quietly for granted.
When wine become a passion of mine, I discovered there were similarities between a library and a good glass of wine. What were those similarities? Well, I finally narrowed them down to three elements, and I share them with you now.
First, in a library, there's the ability to freely obtain and read any published book. I don't take that for granted. As we know, in today's world, there are efforts to restrict book availability, and that's sad. I'll always stand up for free and open access to books in a library. In the same way, wine has gone through some tough times over the years.
Wine was restricted in many parts of the world due to its bad influence on people and society. Then of course, there have been diseases that destroyed the vines. And in our country, there was that period called Prohibition. Yes, many challenges, but wine kept going and silently won all battles.
Therefore, to celebrate the hardiness of wine, I'll raise a glass of Chateau Ste. Michelle Indian Wells Cabernet Sauvignon. Within its silent aromas and flavors, you'll find the strength the wine offers you.
Secondly, a library gives each and everyone of us the opportunity to learn. It's a safe haven for research and reading. While looking at some old books, I came across a book published in 1929 entitled "Good Manners-Reliable Advice On Etiquette." I found it interesting about how often the reader is informed that it's good manners to be quiet. Whether the person is eating a meal, at a party or meeting someone for the first time, you always allow the other person to speak first. It was a sign of respect.
Likewise, the world of wine gives us the awesome opportunity to learn about wine in the quiet of an evening's embrace. It would be interesting to know how much time I've spent in researching wine and sipping wine. Oops! That sipping part might be too much to learn!
But, isn't doing something part of learning? One can look at a bluff and admire it. However, it's a whole different ballgame when one climbs the bluff. That's when the silence of the climb is overcome by one's heavy breathing, right? Luckily, I've climbed and sipped -- life is good.
That's why I enjoy a glass of a Portuguese wine called Silk & Spice. It's a deliciously enticing white blend of Portuguese wines with peachy flavors that speak very softly to you. I recommend you taste this wine by yourself so you can hear all the wine is trying to tell you.
And finally, I learned the language of silence in a library. Obviously, the site is not always quiet because of the excitement of children and the nattering of adults, and that's just fine. Within the silence offered at the library, I feel connected to it and can relax.
Most of us live in a noisy environment. One's employment can be rather noisy or one's family. Neither of these situations are bad, and, hopefully, you enjoy them. I learned about noise on the farm, and live with the after effects of that loud time. I've no bad feelings about that time of my life, and wouldn't trade it for anything. Even with the loudness of farm life, I found plenty of silence by walking the fields and hiking through our grove.
I learned to enjoy a glass of chardonnay in a noisy social environment, and by tasting a glass by myself. A good chardonnay is a Clos du Bois from California. It's especially enjoyable after a noisy party as you silently enjoy the wine's apple flavors followed by a touch of vanilla. Very pleasing!
Even in the midst of a noisy block party, I noticed silence. I did so by not focusing on the music or the socializing, but by looking up at the overarching beautiful trees. This may sound weird, but the noise went away as I listened to the soft breeze flow through the trees. You can find silence anywhere.
The Swedes have a wonderful word for finding balance in life. The word is lagom, and it's a way to find moderation and to balance the noise of one's life with the silence within it. For that balance in wine, I would suggest a taste of Apothic Red Blend. Find a quiet spot and seek the wine's full bodied cherry tastes and the heartiness of its finish. Skal!
I have a long way to go before I'm fluent in German. However, I like to think I've earned my Ph.D. In the language of silence.
May you always find the balance in your life and listen to the sound of silence.
As always, eat and drink in moderation but laugh with reckless abandon!
Cheers!