3-07: The Nice Wine
What Are You Saving It For?
I spent some time with my family this past week and gave my Dad a bottle of scotch as an early Father’s Day gift. One night, we had some company over, old friends we had not seen in years. Though I had intended for him to wait and enjoy it back home with his friends, it did not take long for him to decide to open it and share it with our company. Of course, I enjoyed a glass with him, and I could not blame him for cracking it open that night.
It is a nice feeling to buy something without knowing exactly when, where, or with whom you will eventually share it, whether that is a top shelf bottle of wine, some Father’s Day whiskey, or something entirely different. Sometimes, it could be something as simple as a chocolate bar that you do not quite know when you will want to enjoy later. Then your future self one day will thank you for having the foresight to purchase it, and the patience to not have immediately enjoyed it.
The same can be said for someone who saves their nice wines a little too carefully. At first, there is nothing wrong with saving something for the right occasion. There is something disciplined about restraint. Not everything needs to be consumed the moment it enters your life. Some things are made better by anticipation, which could come on a birthday, holiday, or another special occasion. A bottle on the shelf can become a promise to your future self that there will be a moment worth opening it for.
Sometimes, the standard for opening that special bottle can creep higher with each consideration. A date night at home is not deemed worthy, nor is a friend stopping by. A birthday normally works, but then you wonder whether it should be saved for a bigger one. The special bottle remains unopened, because no moments meet the mark.
Lately, I’ve found myself eager to have a reason to share what I have with friends, new and old. Recently, a colleague visited and said he would have what I was having, which is the polite way of saying we do not need to have the nicest thing you have. I reached for the Don Julio 1942 and opened it, which we both proceeded to enjoy. Sure, the bottle is open now, but that does not mean the rest will not still be shared and enjoyed.
A certain fear comes with saving nice things for too long. What if we do not see the day when they are finally used? What if the perfect reason we envision for opening that bottle never arrives? The value of these things is released through use. They are best enjoyed with those we love and care for.
The harder question is what is worth saving, who is worth sharing with, and how long we are willing to wait before deciding the moment has arrived. My bet is that most people are worth sharing with, and sometimes opening the bottle is enough to make the occasion.