Isn't it funny how sometimes the strangest things can trigger memories? I'm fascinated by the way our brains can connect the dots between two seemingly dissimilar things. Like how trying to pick out a bottle of wine can remind me of connecting on a deep level for the first time with a close friend.
I was doing a bit of grocery shopping Saturday afternoon, and while I was there decided to pick up a bottle of wine to have with dinner. I was kinda wishy-washy about what kind to get, and a bottle with a picture of a deer on it caught me eye. I thought to myself, “if only it were a horse, I'd buy it!”
Why a horse? It connects back to that conversation…
We live very far away from each other, so we planned out a night where we'd have a “wine date” where we set up a time to talk on the phone, drink some wine, and spend some time getting to know each other a bit better. Outside of the deeper, more personal stuff there were random bits of more superficial stuff, one of which was discussing picking out wine. She admitted that, while a big fan of wine, she was far from a connoisseur and frequently picked out bottles by what had the prettiest label. Since she has a special place in her heart for horses, she always buys the bottle with the horse on the label when she sees it. And, without fail, every time it has been a very good bottle of wine. So I joked about how I'd keep an eye out for wine with horses on the labels, maybe even ask them if they have any “horse wine” just to see the look on their faces.
So that bottle of wine with a deer on the label triggered memories of what was, frankly, one of the most wonderful conversations I've ever had with another human being. A truly profound experience, one I'll carry with me for the rest of my days.