I just spent the last several daysawashin SpanishTempranillo.
Two days aftersaying goodbye to Chance, I boarded an airplane for Madrid tojoin a small group ofwine industry professionals on a four day excursion to the fairly remote, hot, dry and historic wine region of Toro, two and half hours away from Spain’s refined capital. It was like going from Chicago to the Midwest wheatfields but with better food and wineand a seemingly endless nightlifeat the final destination.
I cried on my overnight flight,listenedto music and drank more glassesof Spanish Tempranillo than I should to ease the waves of grief that came over me like nausea. I had just left someone I loved deeply and would never see again, butWe the Living keep moving onward.
Travel and cultural immersion plus all that wine is a great way to wash away dark clouds. It rarely rains where we were in Spain, and the sun was brilliant; our hosts from Bodegas Fariñaattentive; and the itinerary well paced. I slowly started to feel like my old selfand realized how important travel is to my psyche.
The wine certainly helped. The Tinta de Toro grape is a clone of Tempranillo, and this Toro region’s varietyis heartier with thicker skin to withstand the extremes of dry heat andcold in Toro.It is a survivor grape and produces, whentreated with dignity and nurtured with the proper amount of attention, a beautiful deep purple blackliquid thatcan sooth the soul and enhance many of Spain’s hearty dishes,jamonand cheeses. Reports say wine consumed in moderation can be healthy, and drinkingBodegas Fariña Tempranillo amongToro’s 100 yearvineyards I could feel myself healing in the sunshine.
As we moved through the days, exploring, learning, drinking and eating, there was little time to look back andlinger on what hadjust occurred. I said to myself, “You have to be in the present and enjoy this ride; it may not come your way again.Toss the sad thoughts. Focus only on the happy memories. You do not have enough megabytes in your brain these days to store that which makes you unhappy. Go forthe adventure and that which makes you happy.”
As I focused on the countryside, the peoplewith me, the wine and the food, everything became brighter. We should all take time to clear out the debris lurking in our hearts and minds to open up space to enjoy the present and allow new impressions andfeelings to come in.
When we landedback in New York and entered ourapartment thatstill has a lingeringscent of a small white dog and scattered toys still lurking in corners and under furniture, I waivered; my stomach clenchedand I bit my lip.
I said to my husband, David, the first night home- “Let’s go out and explore. And we did, this time to a small French wine bar where we drankchilled Muscadet with gazpacho and salads. And thecool crisp wine in the warm summer night again washed awayany lingering dark clouds.
What I learnedfrom the week to share with you is this: There are days that can be unbearablebut they cannot hold you back. You have no choice but to move forward andyou choosehowto focus your mind and energies. While we may not be in control of our fate, wecan manage our daysand our expectations.
Like the 100 year old grapevines I studied this week, we humans are filled with potential with thick skins to protect us, and with the right nurturing and attention we bloom and produce wonderul things.Wemay bruise but we heal. We cannot be neglectedor neglectful to our surroundings or we shrivel. And as time passes and we bloom again.
And, when you have any cause for doubts,have another glass of wine.
