Curating a Personal Collection

I had my first wine-tasting experience last week. I'm not an alcohol person, but I try to practice what I preach; as a creative, one must always try new things, to broaden the mind and open up the self to new creative possibilities.

Last week, I finished my training and became a qualified Life Coach. I wanted to celebrate by trying a new experience with my mother, something neither of us had done before. Hence, wine-tasting!

In preparation for this mini outing, I watched James Sucklings MasterClass on Wine Appreciation a few weeks ago. At the tasting, I tilted the glass for colour, I swirled for aroma, I sniffed and tasted ... just like James!

(... It didn't help me, but maybe next time I'll be better.)

One of the things James talks about towards the end of the MasterClass (that doesn't need to be wine-related) is about creating a collection, personally curated by YOU. Now of course, James says "Everyone should have a wine collection" ... but I think everyone should have any kind of collection, one that brings them joy.

Curating a Personal Collection

My grandfather, before he passed, collected books, coins, pens, chess boards, foreign alcohol ... and perhaps countless other collections I didn't even know existed.

My father used to collect shot glasses, but has since donated most of the items in his collection and hasn't added any more in quite awhile. He also collects pins though, and has a fair few on his cork board from various places he's traveled to over the years.

I realized recently that I don't have a true collection; I may have lots of some items, but I don't know if I would consider any of these a "personal collection". (The closest might be the Company's Coming cookbooks my parents started collecting decades ago that I've now inherited after their divorce. I did used to collect postcards from childhood vacations, but I couldn't tell you where any of them are now.)

The thing I appreciate most of everything James said is the piece about it not needing to be 1,000 items -- in other words, not collecting for the sake of collecting. You can have a collection of 10 items, each one with a special memory or meaning behind it. THAT, to me, is a true personal collection.

My Takeaway

I never considered before how a collection could be a form of creativity; it's essentially self-expression. Here you are, sharing pieces of you -- of your life -- on display for the world (whoever you wish to share it with). Your collection is speaking on your behalf, saying "This is me! These items are a part of my soul. They represent cherished memories, important people in my life, and things I love."

I've been contemplating this for a month now -- If I started a collection today, what would it be? What would truly represent ME? (... I still don't have an answer, so stay tuned.)

At one point (before the tasting), I heavily considered starting a wine collection -- how fancy and romantic would that be? Travel to different vineyards, sample some wines, buy bottles from trips, share the memories as we open bottles during dinner parties ...

Well, James said to find the special bottles to add to wine collections. With my "limited" or "exclusive" palate, the bottles will have to be pretty special before I consider starting a wine collection of my own. (Especially since I also discovered how precise the temperature of wine cellars need to be to preserve the wine! Not sure I could start a proper collection in our apartment ... unless we drank the wine right away and preserved the empty bottles?)

I do know now though that whatever I decide to collect -- whether it be something in the near future, or later on in my years -- my collection will be personally curated, a display representing all that I am.