March 01, 2017
I receive a call from Bergzicht Training Centre. They ask me to deliver a speech at their Graduation ceremony. Suddenly I am filled with a blessed unrest; what does one say? What does one not say? Will they care? I never considered myself an Oprah or Simon Sinek …
As one does, I immediately revert to alcohol as a tool of inspiration. On my second glass of bubbly … inspiration struck. Champagne … unique … remarkable!
The result …
March 14, 2017
My fellow spirits,
Today I stand in front of you not on behalf of a benefactor, but as a fellow life-force. My message to you is wrapped in love. When I started meditating on this message, I had no clue what to say … I am no guru or preacher … I am merely a traveller of life, blessed to share a world with you.
So instead of preaching wisdom I want to explain a process, a process that I feel is vital when celebrating life and hopefully leaves you with a message.
What is the one thing that you associate with achievement? Champagne of course! Please bare with me …
Champagne; nectar of the gods, joyous, remarkable! To appreciate this product you have to start by understanding the process.
The journey starts in the vineyard, where the winemakers only harvest exceptional grapes to produce a base wine. In this analogy you are the base wine which is a blend of soul and character which your Creator harvests.
Once the quality base wine is created, Liqueur de Tirage is added. Tirage is a mixture of sugar and yeast but in your case the Tirage is a combination of your natural talent and passion.
A crown cap is placed on top of the bottle to secure the content. The purpose; in order to generate pressure which results in baby bubbles (beads) being born. I view the crown cap as anyone who is challenging you with the “realities” of life. This includes society, teachers, family, friends … who place unnecessary pressure on you. But as pressure is necessary in the champagne process, so it is in life. You build resistance and become stronger.
After the bubbles are born towards the wine, champagne undergoes a period of maturation. This is extremely important because it establishes the quality of the beads. I view this maturity phase as the moment that develops your spirit of potential.
After the maturation period is complete, the crown cap is removed and Liqueur d’Expedition/dosage is added. This is crucial and establishes the style of the Champagne. Dosage in my opinion is your essence of being.
A cork and muselette is added to secure and protect the Champagne. This is a symbol of your belief, securing you in life.
This is followed by labelling. The label serves as your identity or your unique selling point. Differentiating you from the world and its inhabitants.
Champagne is then ready to be distributed to be sold. Just imagine, you are standing at Makro before a wall of choices. You obviously choose the Champagne that speaks to you, that is familiar. As in life, we will choose partners, friends and careers that speak to your hart.
The last step is finally popping that bottle. And that day; be it your wedding day, the birth of your children, when you open your own restaurant or graduate, you will CELEBRATE you!!
I believe, one can never compare any Champagne because each bares a truth of distinction that one should never try and change or duplicate.
This reminds me of a quote by Martha Graham: “There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all of time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and it will be lost. The world will not have it. It is not your business to determine how good it is nor how valuable nor how it compares with other expressions. It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly, to keep the channel open. You do not even have to believe in yourself or your work. You have to keep yourself open and aware to the urges that motivate you. Keep the channel open. … No artist is pleased. [There is] no satisfaction whatever at any time. There is only a queer divine dissatisfaction, a blessed unrest that keeps us marching and makes us more alive than the others”
In conclusion. Thank you for blessing me, for allowing me to stand next to you as you embark on your journey. I am humbled by the hope sitting in front of me today. And, even if you can’t remember anything from this message, just remember: you are the universe in ecstatic motion.