To Sir, with Love

by Lauren Layne

as far as I’m concerned, wine isn’t about science. Wine—especially the sparkling kind—is about the moment. A ten-dollar sparkler sipped out of plastic cups to celebrate an engagement beats the pants off a three-hundred-dollar bottle of Cristal sipped from a crystal glass by someone bored by life.

I used to take pride in being the good-natured, easygoing one in the family, but lately I wonder if I haven’t also been a bit of a doormat.

I live a good life—I do. But I’m learning it’s a life lived largely for the people around me, to support their expectations, to never rock the boat, to never let anyone down. I feel trapped, but how does one find that balance—to be true to oneself without being selfish?

Which tells me something I’ve maybe known all along: I’d rather be a good person than a great businesswoman.

“We decided that families come in all shapes and sizes, and if ours stayed a family of two until the end, we’d count ourselves blessed to have each other.”