Something remarkable happened along my Uber ride from downtown Denver to Denver International Airport earlier this week.
Are you from Denver or are you heading home? the driver queried.
Back home to Houston, I replied.
Were you in town for business? What do you do for a living?
I work in the wine business.
What’s the best value in wine today?
Chilean.
Is red wine really good for your heart?
No.
What kind of wine do you like to drink?
Mostly Italian.
Why do Christians believe that wine is the blood of Christ?
I’m not a Christian, I said politely. I’m a Jew. But I believe that the Christian tradition comes from the Jewish tradition, where wine is a miracle.
A silence followed. I think both of us were eager to find out what would come next.
He was a Persian who grew up in a religious family in Afghanistan, he told me. No alcohol was consumed in his home or community. But he was curious to learn more about wine, he shared.
We talked about the city of Shiraz in Iran. We talked about Turkish wine.
And then — I’m not sure how we got there — we talked about the war in Gaza.
Our tone turned somber and introspective. We agreed that our religions all seek the same thing — to be closer to G-d. Politics and personality cults are what lead people astray from the divine word, whether the Torah, the Quran, or the New Testament.
When we got to the airport, he got out of the car to help me with my bag. We shook hands warmly.
I enjoyed our conversation.
So did I.
Generous Ramadan and happy Easter, everyone. May peace be on earth.
(Photo: the Brown Palace Hotel in downtown Denver.)