Meandering Weekend

On Friday, for some of my service work with the U, I ended up traveling across the state to attend a meeting related to a state-wide educational initiative I am involved with.  This is the first meeting of this type that occurred since Lent ended (the previous one occurred several months ago during Lent).
 When I have gone to this meeting over the years, I have always had the opportunity (pleasure) to stop in that town on my journey back home to a delightfully traditional, old-school tobacconist.  It was always a highlight of the trip, because while the meetings were valuable and important, the drive time was not the most exciting. 

Well, at the previous meeting of this year, I was actively involved in my Lenten vow, so I steered clear of the tobacconist.  But as this meeting approached last week, I was bedeviled by thoughts of whether or not I should stop by during my travels this time.  I saw four basic scenerios:

1.  Avoiding the place like the plague so as to assure I would keep my vow.
2.  Stopping in just to look around, and examine all the beautiful pipes and tobaccos in a "reminiscent" sort of fashion.
3.  Stop by and allow myself the option to indulge (by bringing a pipe along) and sampling a bowl of some interesting type of burley leaf they had (most tobacconists, including this one will encourage fellow pipe enthusiasts to sample the wares). 
4.  Stopping by and buying a new pipe and restarting the hobby.

Well, as I mentioned in my last post, I have been having a strong return of cravings to smoke my pipe the last few weeks.  I realized that #1 above would be best for my goals, but I was really, very strongly leaning towards #3.  I have also been thinking of my father and my grandfather's upcoming birthdays next month.... and my tradition that has been going on for decades since my father passed away of smoking one of my father's pipes that he gave me on HIS birthday, and of smoking one of my grandfather's pipes (that my father gave me) on my grandfather's birthday.

What will I do on those dates?  This will mark the first time their respective birthdays have come about since I started to refrain.  I have been thinking about those two dates quite a bit and trying to figure out what to do.  I am still not sure what I will do when the dates arrive.

Well, to make a long story short, in the above choices for the tobacconist.... I ended up choosing pathway #2.  I purposefully did not take a pipe with me to encourage me to by pass the place on my way home.  But I also knew I could potentially buy a pipe and some tobacco there (#4).

I ended up stopping, though, and looked around and reminisced.  The pipe tobaccos were pleasant olfactorially to me.  and the new pipes were beautiful to behold.  Talking with folks there, it was very nice to discuss various pipes and tobaccos, but I did not mention that I was refraining.  When asked if I would like to sample a leaf, I simply stated I did not bring a pipe with me today, but maybe next time.

It was very nice to visit that store.  It was very nice to have the discussions with the shop keeper.  Overall, it was a pleasant experience.  I am not sure if it helped my resolve any.  But, as I enter into my 9th month of refraining, it has given me some things to think about.

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