Saturday, April 15, 2006

Counterculture

From www.answers.com - coun·ter·cul·ture (koun'tar-kŭl'ch'r) n. A culture, especially of young people, with values or lifestyles in opposition to those of the established culture.

In Utah one definition might also read "e.g. Wine Tasting Club". Without explaining the pairing dynamics of the core part of this group, I was invited to a friend's house for a wine tasting party. Supposedly there were supposed to be one or two other couples, the host/hostess (friends/co-workers) and Pat and myself (pair, not couple).

A flyer about the club/event had been posted in the common area of the group's homes and it had been "removed". The paragraph that had been submitted in the local newsletter had been trimmed to a sentence. But a crowd showed up! A few other "prospects" were later identified as possible "drinkers".

The cross-section of occupations, religions and backgrounds was so refreshing (as was tasting the different kinds of wines). We all commented on how somewhat rebellious and how very liberated we all felt.

There was another emotion from the evening that I personally experienced and that had to do with coming of age and "me". This is the type of life I've been seeking for decades. I've found myself (even though I would have never, in a million years, thought that that ephiphany could even remotely have a chance to occur in Utah).

Could it be, perhaps. that without contrast one cannot fully appreciate the image?

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