As an Observer

 As one can see from my posts here, I sit in an easy chair and observe, then I comment on my observations.  I could delve into either the religious or the political, but I don't want to.  I'll mention Angels here, but if you want an experience with Angels they'll come to you.  Maybe some people can summon demons, but I have yet to figure out how to summon Angels.  If anyone knows  how I would love to hear from them.  I can't summon Angels for anyone.  I have reminders, which I guess defines religion.  It is a reminder.  

Religion celebrates history and tradition.  Without it some people feel lost.  Ronald Reagan once said politics reflects our religious values.  So, if one has no religion, according to such thinking, one has no values.  So instead of dealing with either politics or religion, I prefer to observe than participate.  And when I do participate, it is not by politics or by religious values.  One can have values without religion and one can be political without religion.  But it's very difficult to just be an observer in today's world.  

So, that is about as either religious or political I am going get, because the simplicity of my thinking is that I care about one thing and one thing only.  That one thing is ALL Human Life.  Otherwise, like Rhett Buttler, I say I just don't give a damn.  If I had some secret hidden agenda, this world would literally drive me nuts.  I could say my smoking my pipe is a part of my religious beliefs.  Yes, I COULD say this.  But I could say my pipe relaxes me, which is what any belief system will do for most anyone.  Even an Atheist has a belief system.  I just don't want to argue about shit.  I don't need the stress.

And frankly, I think more people need to smoke a pipe.  They either need a pipe or need something.  Some might go so far to say the whole world needs to smoke more Maijuana.  I won't go that far, but I could say if that is your belief you might not be wrong.  Doctors might suggest the world needs more Valium.  Some might say the world needs more religion while others might suggest the world needs less of it.  Frankly, the world needs more points of view and more tolerance for those views.  But I'm an idealist, because some day that will be my world, but it will take intervention to get there.  And we aren't there.

So, I'll listen to most anyone, but listening is something we need more of and as C. S. Lewis suggests, if a pipe closes the mouths of the foolish, we simply need more pipe smokers.  The world needs all the listeners we can get, and we need those who don't just want to talk about their agendas.  I don't read books as I used to, and probably need to listen to more audio books.  But I do a lot of reading and listening on both my phone and my computer.  I do that while smoking a pipe.  But if I wrote a book, I would include a lot of material I've written in my blogs.  

I'm writing this Sunday morning and I'm smoking my Jirsa pipe from Chzechoslavakia with Tropical Export tobacco.  My wife has made it known that she does not like my Old Professor tobacco, although I enjoy a bowl from time to time.  There are those religious people who frown on ANY use of tobacco but for me, I could say my pipe is a part of my religion.  I wouldn't go to the wall, so to speak, to defend my use of tobacco in a pipe, but I think if I had a chance to explain my tobacco use, there might be those who would excuse me from all tobacco prohibitions.  

It's Sunday morning and every Sunday morning we listen to "Sunday Morning Coffee" by Chup Davis.  It's the kind of music one might hear in a Starbucks.  It's light jazz with a little classical bent to it.  It's a nice background with a cup of coffee and a pipe.  Long ago I smoked my pipe in coffee shops.  Now I just smoke my pipe with coffee when at home.  But it's a pleasant Sunday morning.  Thank you for your time and Peace to each one of you.

Dave