Proof Reads

 by Caleb Malcom

As alcohol consumption goes I’m fairly inexperienced.  This comes from my upbringing.  My parents pounded it into my head that alcohol was “evil” and “bad” as soon as I could walk.  Then I realized that they occasionally drink beers and wine coolers.  This caused a lot of inner conflict in me.  Here I had my parents telling me something was evil and here they consumed it.  Then as I got older they told me “well if you ever want to try it you let us know and we will let you.”  What?  Have you not been telling me over all these years that it was evil now you are offering it to me?  Talk about messing with someone’s head.  It compounded the issue that neither set of my grandparents drank alcoholic beverages.

As I grew I watched friends abuse alcohol and do stupid things.  I watched both of my parents consume it and their judgment fail.  This compounded my issues with alcohol and I truly believed it was an evil substance.  That view lessened some as I aged.  I took a stance that it was okay as long as it was not misused but was not for me.

Over the years I always held a curiosity towards wine, but because of the conflicting ideas in my mind I stayed away from it.  It wasn’t until four years ago that I tried my first wine at a local winery.  I was immediately hooked and over the next year went hopping from winery to winery; there are a lot where I live.  This gave me a new respect for alcohol and its myriad of forms. 

Soon after someone got me to try Drambuie which quickly became another favorite.  I began sampling beverages of all kinds and have found many things I enjoy, and many others that I despise.  Even now it amazes me at times how much my perspective changed so quickly.  I do still have a high respect for it and do not tolerate people drinking irresponsibly around me, but over time the misconceptions that my family seared into my mind have healed and washed away.