A lot of people believe, (and I believe this is a very false belief), that for wine to be good, it must cost a lot of money. Long ago, I realized this not to be true.
 
Maybe twenty years deep now, I happened into my local Trader Joe’s and noticed this bottle of Toscana, from a vineyard in Italy, of course. I grabbed a few bottles and when I tasted it that night, I was floored at just how good it was. I poured some for my lady, and she loved it too. The next day, I went back a grabbed a case.
 
Whenever someone would come over, I would pour them a glass. I never said anything, but the moment they tasted it, they would expressed how really good it was and where could they get a bottle (or more) for themselves. I also gave a few bottles away as gifts. Each time, the person would contact me asking where I purchased it and for how much. Answer: Trader Joe’s for $2.99.
 
At first, no one believed me. But, they would go to their local Trader Joe’s and buy their own bottle. Then, the proof was in the pudding.
 
I purchased that wine for a time, never thinking that it would go away. But then, one day, I purchased a bottle, not noticing that the vintage date had changed. I took it home. Opened it up later that evening, and, “What?” It was not the same. Checking the bottle and looking at a previous bottle I had on my wine rack, I realized that though the label was the same, this vintage had been produced in the next year. All the greatness was gone. I was so sad. It looked exactly the same. But, it was not the same.
 
A week or so I ago, my lady and I were in this shop in a strip mall. Next-door, this discount supermarket had just opened. We had some time to kill so we thought that we would check it out. …Just for fun. Looking at the produce, it was the same price that it was at our local market. But, it was way poorer quality. So, no way! I’m really into fresh food. Then, we happened over by the alcohol section. We discovered they had some of these, (hard to find), what I call a slurpy alcohol-based kind of beverage, as they are ice based. My lady really likes those, so we grabbed a few. While we were there, I looked at the wine, and they had a few bottles of Pino Noir that grabbed my interested, from vineyards in California. What the heck… I grabbed four varying bottles.
 
Over the next couple of days, I tried each of them out. One of them was really-really good. How much did it cost? $3.99.  
 
Me, once I experienced that taste, I had to go back to that store. I bought a case. Enjoyed it all. Then, yesterday, my lady and I were driving by the store, and I suggested that we go in. I looked and looked, but that wine was all gone. Finally, looking to the back of the shelves, I found one remaining bottle. Of course, I purchased it. Now, it sits waiting for me to drink it. But, once I do, then all of that great flavor will be gone.
 
And, this is the thing about all things in life, it is here and then it is gone. And, when it is gone, it is gone. There is no way to get it back.
 
What has left you and your life, that you can never have again? What person, place, or thing???  It was there. You loved it. But now, it is no more.
 
Remember, it’s all going to go away: you, me, it, everything. So, love it while you can, because before you know it, it will be no more.