It was not the “cool factor” of the hobby, nor was it a way to deliver nicotine to my body. It was not a giving into peer pressure, and it was not a solemn choice that condemns my body to lesser years. No, it was a diving into the culture, into the art, and into the pipe.
After a year and a half of immersing into this odd – yet incredible – life of pipe smoking, a few things have become abundantly clear to me. First, I enjoy the pipe for the community. It is not something I often do alone, as I have found friends and companions who share my hobby, and I embrace their different cultures; though we are different, we are similar in, if only this way, the sharing of pipe and tobacco. These people, so mixed in backgrounds of life, can come together to enjoy the sweet smoke of companionship and tobacco mixed together
Second, I find enjoy the art of the hobby. Whether it is understanding the way pipes are shaped to complement grain or watching masters carve, by hand or machine, the very items we use. Whether it is companies who mass produce thousands upon millions of pounds of tobaccos or the few and faithful B&M tobacconists who carefully measure out and masterfully craft blends to be enjoyed by young and old alike. It is even appreciating the way a carver or company cuts stems to the enjoyment and pleasure of the smokers. It is an art I marvel at, whether curious or awestruck.
Third and last, I enjoy it for the challenge. While this is an odd concept to understand for some, I find this hobby to be one that challenges me. As the pipe is a refined form of smoking, so too I find myself constantly refining myself from a normal young adult into a well-oiled, wise man, and the pipe is a tool of contemplation; as I sit and ponder upon the embers dancing in the bowl, I begin to ponder upon life and my personal dwellings. It is a time to sit, enjoy life, and think about my past, my present, and my future.
Ultimately, this is a hobby of pleasure, artistry, contemplation, and relaxation. It is not a habit that drags me down to addiction, but rather a hobby that I find freedom in – freedom to think, to take time to slow down, and to enjoy my thoughts and the company around me.
-Chris Halbach
After a year and a half of immersing into this odd – yet incredible – life of pipe smoking, a few things have become abundantly clear to me. First, I enjoy the pipe for the community. It is not something I often do alone, as I have found friends and companions who share my hobby, and I embrace their different cultures; though we are different, we are similar in, if only this way, the sharing of pipe and tobacco. These people, so mixed in backgrounds of life, can come together to enjoy the sweet smoke of companionship and tobacco mixed together
Second, I find enjoy the art of the hobby. Whether it is understanding the way pipes are shaped to complement grain or watching masters carve, by hand or machine, the very items we use. Whether it is companies who mass produce thousands upon millions of pounds of tobaccos or the few and faithful B&M tobacconists who carefully measure out and masterfully craft blends to be enjoyed by young and old alike. It is even appreciating the way a carver or company cuts stems to the enjoyment and pleasure of the smokers. It is an art I marvel at, whether curious or awestruck.
Third and last, I enjoy it for the challenge. While this is an odd concept to understand for some, I find this hobby to be one that challenges me. As the pipe is a refined form of smoking, so too I find myself constantly refining myself from a normal young adult into a well-oiled, wise man, and the pipe is a tool of contemplation; as I sit and ponder upon the embers dancing in the bowl, I begin to ponder upon life and my personal dwellings. It is a time to sit, enjoy life, and think about my past, my present, and my future.
Ultimately, this is a hobby of pleasure, artistry, contemplation, and relaxation. It is not a habit that drags me down to addiction, but rather a hobby that I find freedom in – freedom to think, to take time to slow down, and to enjoy my thoughts and the company around me.
-Chris Halbach
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