Life lessons are where you find them, or maybe, wherever they find you.
Several years ago my wife and I drove part of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. It's a great way to spend a week or more or just a weekend. Dozens upon dozens of distilleries, each of which does things just a little differently.
When we toured the Wild Turkey Distillery Mr. Bubba, our 80-year-old Marine tour guide, asked our group what the best way to drink bourbon is.
We had all just been to a pretentious distillery where the snooty young goober tour guide (today he'd be called a Karen) had lectured us on proper tasting technique.
He condescendingly admonished us to observe how the bourbon coats the glass, to hold the glass to the light and admire the subtleties of color, to swirl and “nose” the bouquet of the bourbon. He then demonstrated something he called a “Kentucky Chew” where he literally chewed the liquid. He reminded me of one of my Uncle Tom’s mules. After that lecture, our group was understandably hesitant to answer.
That's when Mr. Bubba answered his own question.
"The best way to drink bourbon is however you like it the best. If you like yours mixed with a little Coke, mix it. If you like it neat, that’s fine. It’s your bourbon. Drink it any way you please.”
Life is like that. It’s your life, as long as you’re not hurting anyone else, you live it your way.
There isn't really a right way or a wrong way to do most things. Sugar on grits or pineapple on pizza aren't things I do but if someone else does either of those it doesn't affect me or anyone else in any way. I don't have the right to take away your pineapple and you don't have the right to dump pineapple all over my pepperoni.
That's pretty much how I see life. You eat your pizza, I'll eat mine.
You don’t have to if you don’t want to, but I'll follow mine with a little Wild Turkey on the rocks.
