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Thinking Firsts

Wine tasting at Beaune during our road-trip in France was my first ever wine-tasting. I came into the experience without any idea of what to expect and what good might feel like. First time I swam in the ocean in Gibraltar and that was a one of kind experience for more than one reason. There are wineries an hour from where I have lived for close to two decades now - that is how far the nearest ocean is to me. I have passed by these vineyards many times and can't count the number of beach trips over the years. But for reasons unknown never made it to a wine tasting or experienced riding and floating up on a wave. Thinking about these firsts brought to mind a quote by Tagore that is very near and dear to my heart - it was one he wrote for Satyajit Ray.
For many a year, I have travelled many a mile to lands far away I've gone to see the mountains, the oceans I've been to view.
But I failed to see that lay.
Not two steps from my home.
On a sheaf of paddy grain - a glistening drop of dew
The unwarranted and unrequited love of foreign lands draws us to them - we want to claim that we had been there and saw things only read or heard of thus far. And somehow that experience changed and enriched us. That may or may not be the case but like Tagore pointed out in we have missed that drop of dew glistening on the grass outside our doorstep

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