I found this entry in my draft files. Written several years ago, I have no idea why it never made it officially onto my site. Perhaps it was lost in the dozens of balls that are constantly being juggled when you’re growing your own business. Suffice it to say, the message of the experience still rings true today. Dreams are worth pursuing. Here’s the original post…..
I’d like to say it was the trip of a lifetime, a one month getaway to the Pacific coast spent in an amazing oceanside home. But, I’m an eternal optimist and buy into the theory that the best is yet to come. Still, it was a captivating, magical month. Less than a year earlier, I’d left my high-powered, high stress job as an investigative reporter and anchor for the NBC affiliate in San Antonio to pursue a career in exploring and reporting about good news, wine and food.
Waking up to the roar of the Pacific and going to bed with the lull of the waves washing up on the jagged rocks that lined the shore was pure heaven. The sound of the ocean, for me, is the best therapy money can buy.
Each day was an adventure as we headed to the nearest farmers’ market for organic fresh produce, perky flowers and other cool finds for our wine drenched dinners. Or, maybe it was a day venturing into the wine country exploring new wineries and discovering new foods. Mendocino and Sonoma were both less than an hour’s drive.
It was one of those day trips to Mendocino where we happened upon a relatively new winery – the winemaker and vineyard owner was the former fire chief from a small town near San Francisco. He retired to pursue his dream of making wine. Kinda ironic…there we were traversing the west coast pursuing our dream of exploring wine and food, so we felt a common thread in the connection.
When we said hello, Vern was atop a tractor tending to one of the many chores winemakers need to take care of. If you’ve ever started your own business you understand the ‘blood, sweat and tears’ that go into getting it off the ground.
We bought a few bottles of wine from Vern…wine so new there were no labels on the bottles, but Vern signed them and wrote the names of what they were—pinot noir. Turns out his wine is now a respected name – Toulouse Vineyards…known for their pinot noirs.
Last night, for the first time some 2 years after our encounter with the retired fire chief turned winemaker, we popped the cork on one of the bottles. It exceeded our expectations…it was wonderful.
Truly enjoying a bottle of wine connects with your emotions…where you are, who you’re with, the food your’re having. Savoring Vern’s wine was an affirmation that dreams really do come true—we can create our own reality. It was great fun raising a glass to this hardworking dreamer whose diligence and determination obviously paid off. Vern, I don’t know where you are in your business right now, but please know that a couple of Texans who are pursuing their dream lived a little bit of your dream this night and raised a glass to your success.
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