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December 1998
PEP Pioneers
Second Wind
Torrance, California
Dear Friends:
As
I settled in my seat early this morning to fly back to Denver, I was
greeted with an offer of a glass of champagne.
“Why not”, was my reply.
It is certainly true that I rarely start my day with
champagne, for obvious reasons.
No responsible doctor in the United States would go to work
after champagne or any other form of alcoholic beverage, in contrast
with other parts of the world, such as Europe.
Champagne
has been used for special occasions for many years. It is common following key sporting events, at contract
signings, and the christening of ships.
In many social circles, champagne is appropriate for weddings
and funerals. It is an
appropriate drink before, during, and after dinner.
It could be symbolic of success or an acknowledgment of a
landmark.
What
if we had a glass of champagne at committee meetings, following
“attitudinal adjustment conferences” with employees, at times of
“downsizing”, or at the end of acrimonious legal or political
debates?
As
we enter the holiday season, a glass of champagne may be
particularly appropriate. Those
who reject any form of alcoholic beverage, of course, will decline,
but our friends with this persuasion can still enjoy the
conviviality of the celebration.
The
amount of alcohol in a glass of champagne is small. The taste and bubbles are associated with a sense of
celebration. Why
can’t every day be a celebration?
Actually, we should celebrate daily, with or without
champaign.
Your friend,
Thomas Petty, MD
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