It’s amazing what one will revisit when reading a classic child’s book.

While scrolling through a website, I came to a mention of a poem by Shel Silverstein entitled “The Giving Tree.” I read it many times to our children (…and to myself) in past days, and decided there was something that told me the poem needed to be reread. I went to the local library, found the book containing Silverstein’s poem, sat down in a comfy chair and started reading.

It would be very satisfying for me if I could include the entire poem here, but I’ll simply provide this summary of it. We never stop giving.

Therefore, let’s put those words into our human journey of life.

How does an infant give? When a child is born, it is very easy to see that everyone gives the child attention and affection, isn’t it? They are so cute and cuddly. They make us smile and feel our hearts warm a bit after the coldness of some of our daily activities. The infant gives hope.

Then they grow into being a young child. They begin to develop a personality, and as we all know, at times that personality can try our patience. Yet through all those periods of trials, tantrums and tears, there is the giving of innocence.

Look out, here it comes — those teenage years! As they weave and lurch through these years, it’s very important to set boundaries. The teenager will like some of those boundaries, and they will test the limits of others of them. Like a flower growing up in a garden, they will need tending and weeding so they can get to know themselves and bloom into their future. They give us the faith we need for the future.

Then before you know it, that teenager is a young adult forging their future in some way. At times there will be sparks of discontent, but from those sparks, will come a person with direction firmness. The fires of life forged them into a young adult who may have found their path or may still need more nurturing. Either way, they are now giving their brightness for the future.

Well, here’s middle age, and the hullabaloo of life fogs up everything. We give ourselves to our occupations, professions and family life. If you’ve had a feeling of despair at this section of life, know you aren’t alone. What we need to do is reach out to each other and release some of the inner tension by giving it away in kindness. That sort of giving will be returned ten fold.

I guess it’s now time for our senior years. Those years when we begin to enter a period of reflection. During this stage of life, give it away. Give your wisdom to all the other stages of life, but don’t act like you know everything. Give your time and volunteer for your favorite organization. Read to children, talk and play with young children, interact with teenagers, chat with young adults, be there for those going through the fuss of middle age and help your fellow mature mates. You might not be able to give as much as you once could give, just do the best you can.

What’s this all got to do with wine? Gee, I’m glad you asked! Whether your favorite liquid is a very young and fizzy Venho Verde, a young Chenin Blanc, a merlot aged for years in an oak cask, a 5-year-old chardonnay, a 25-year-old cabernet sauvignon, or a 100-year-old cognac, know they will all give you something through their tastes.

Search for those presents. I think you will give something in return. And, did you notice that we never stop giving?

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

Cheers!