Don't Wine: The Lesson of Chianti

(Image courtesy of Shutterstock. Image depicts a row of vintage wine bottles in a wine cellar)

Social media has disadvantaged us as we can now quantify our popularity like never before. Our peers constantly judge our photography, creative vision, brand, and wording. You revel when that person likes your post or sees your story. You are dismayed when your post is not performing as well as you wished. Consequently, social media is the projection of what you want the world to see. How can you receive validation when our audience becomes smaller? What happens if you transform from a rośe to a chianti?

(Image courtesy of Storyblocks. Image depicts Large Barrels at a Winery in South Australia. Asset ID: SBI-326438160)

I first heard of Chianti when watching the 1991 film The Silence of the Lambs when Hannibal Lector described his dinner where he drank a Chianti. Chianti is known for being a robust red wine with leathery undertones. It is not a starter wine as it is an acquired taste that takes time to understand its subtleties and nuances. In contras, a Rośe is a light wine. Typically, Rośe comes from young grapes and offers a citrus light taste.

(Video courtesy of YouTube. Video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEQZiElLp-E. Video depicts the 1991 Johnathan Demme film The Silence of the Lambs produced by Strong Hear scene where Lector (Hopkins) talking with Starling (Foster) about his unique diet)

I think people are similar to grapes. Certain people thrive in environments that others might find difficult. Sometimes a person yields a productive crop, while other years might be more barren. But, your worth should not be tied to what you can produce. Many people tend to judge their merits by how they perform in a professional or academic capacity. When you underperform or have a bad day, you feel like you do not deserve your opportunities or disappointed people who believe in you. But just like Rośe, you don't stop aging(maturing). There is a common misconception that rośe goes bad after one year. In actuality, it just turns into a different wine.

(Image courtesy of The 1998 Nancy Meyers's film The Parent Trap produced by Walt Disney Pictures. Image depicts Nick Parker (Quaid) and Elizabeth James (Richardson) discussing wine in Nick's wine cellar)

I am proud of you if you realize that you are no longer a rośe. You are not stuck in the past. You continue to grow and evolve into the person you want to be. This article aims to extol the fact you are an acquired taste. There is nothing wrong with that. You are from a different grape, region, and crop. You face unique obstacles, insecurities, and tasks. So, why compare yourself to other wines?

(Gif courtesy of Wix)