Unco B's Stogie Diary

I’m on standby in Newport Beach, CA, waiting for word from my son that my new grandson is about to be delivered. It’s an exciting time in Unco B’s life right now!

My wife and I are staying with a good friend of hers from college named Wayne. He has become a good friend of mine as well, and I can always count on us having great conversations.

One of those conversations revolved around a mutual friend of Wayne and my wife who had an accident that changed her life. We agreed that none of us knows what might happen or how completely our lives could be turned upside down at any moment, so it’s best not to let the little things derail us.

After that conversation, I got to thinking about the flip side of that: cherishing the special moments that come our way.

This morning, before we headed to the hospital, I had the chance to enjoy a cigar, a Crowned Heads Tennessee Waltz. It was delicious, and I found myself pulling inward, savoring its goodness. In that moment, I realized that this was one of those special moments.

Thinking about my conversation with Wayne the night before, I felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude and realized that cigars have provided many experiences like this.

That’s what I love about this hobby. Whether we’re smoking with friends or enjoying a moment of solitude, cigars give us the opportunity to experience something meaningful.

I wouldn’t trade that for the world.

Too often, we live as though there will always be another one. Another cigar, another conversation, another quiet morning. We say “next time” without stopping to consider that next time isn’t promised.

The same Tennessee Waltz smoked tomorrow could be every bit as delicious, but it couldn’t give me this morning again. It wouldn’t be smoked in Newport Beach before heading to the hospital to meet my grandson, with last night’s conversation still in my mind. That moment existed once, and I was fortunate enough to recognize it while I was still in it.

This isn’t about living in fear of what could happen. It’s about paying attention to what is happening. We don’t always know which moments will stay with us. All we know is when one is here.

Don’t let it pass you by.