The Why's and Wherefor's

(a Peterson Kapet #69 packed with Treebeard was smoked while writing this post)







Why do I smoke?  That's probably the question I'm asked most.  It's a simple, almost harmless question.  However the simple question masks a lot of assumptions.  It is assumed, for instance, that if I only knew the risks of smoking I would immediately toss my pipes on the garbage heap and run screaming to the nearest health food store. (ain't gonna happen in a million years)

So why do I spend time polishing my briars, picking out the appropriate one for the day, deciding which tobacco to fill it with, etc.?

1. I love the smell.  The various blends and aromatics please my nose.  It's like the person who walks into a kitchen and smells an apple pie baking.  The smell just makes me feel good inside.
2. I love the sight.  Pipes are functional art.  If we are talking utilitarianism, a person really only needs a couple of pipes.  But the reason that I'm nearing a nice dozen or so is because they are works of art.  The wood grains, colors and shapes are simply beautiful.  I also get a special pleasure out of seeing a finely worked stem.
3. I love the camaraderie.  There just are no people like Pipe People.  The are almost always the most generous people I've ever met.  For instance, I ordered a pipe for this Christmas.  It turns out that someone ordered the same pipe just moments before I did.  The pipe store instantly sent me an email asking what I would like to do.  I chose a slightly different pipe and left it at that.  When it arrived (days earlier than expected; at no extra cost), the shipping box contained a bunch of "extras" as gifts.  When was the last time you got customer service like that?
4. It connects me to God.  OK, now I know that there will be people who argue with this.  But for me, to ritually pack and light my pipe and then take the 30 to 45 minutes to smoke it, is the most introspective time I get during the day.  As the smoke rises, I say my prayers and contemplate my Lord and Savior.  When I get up again I find that I'm more aware of God's presence than at other times.  Could I do this by some other means?  Sure.  But it wouldn't be quite as rewarding.
5. It's healthy.  Yep, I said it.  Doctors tell us that one of the leading causes of ill health is stress.  Well, I'm one of the most stress free people I know, in part due the fact that I smoke a pipe.  It is a quieting time in my day and I almost always finish a pipe being more refreshed than when I began.

So there it is.  My top five reasons Why I Smoke.