Would you agree that life seems a bit repetitious?

While growing up, your life was probably somewhat like mine. I was awakened, got up, ate breakfast, played in the yard, ate another meal, maybe a little nap, then played some more, ate another meal and fell asleep.

As the years piled on, the routine included more work doing farm chores, working the fields, going to school, playing sports, doing chores again, eating that last meal of the day, and finally, falling asleep. Gee, sounds exciting, doesn’t it?

Yes, those daily activities morphed over the years, but at least for a little time, the day always had the feeling of the same old, same old.

Here’s a personal story about how libraries have always been the same old, same old with me.

As a young lad, our family always did the family shopping on Saturday nights. That was when everyone seemed to go to town, and all our neighbors gathered together, talked, had coffee, brought groceries and whatever. A social network was created.

On those Saturday evenings, I always visited our local library. I wasn’t interested in running around the streets with my classmates — those books called to me. My readings were sort of an escape for me. The books taught me about the world beyond our rural landscape, and they enriched me.

I always checked out a number of books to read during the coming week. They encouraged me to laugh, to try to solve mysteries, and to be in the lives of the authors writing ability to tell a story.

And, guess what? Libraries are still doing the same thing for me just a few (?) decades later! Yes, a book in whatever form is pretty much the same old, same old, but it’s an every changing same old, same old story.

Wines are pretty much the same old, same old, or are they?

Just like books are the same format but with many different stories,within the world of wine, you’ll find different stories in every bottle or box. Yes, some wines are the same old thing, but then there’s that newly tasted wine that starts a whole new story, and further research — meaning sipping — is required.

I’ve tasted many cabernet sauvignon wines, and, hopefully, will taste many more of them. Of course, many taste the same, but then there’s that one with an exciting new taste, and another book of tastes begins. Why does it taste differently? What’s the story line here? Why is this new wine providing a new plot? So much to be discovered!

Likewise, we have our time tested and true friends, don’t we? They are important to us, but perhaps it’s not so much about revisiting that same old, same old friend, but a way to meet new friends.

Hmm … suddenly there doesn’t seem to be anything wrong about the same old, same old. It’s through the old that we see the new.