It's an Art

I want to think that all men who smoke a pipe are gentlemen.  Any woman knows the difference between a jerk and a gentleman.  There just seems to be so few gentlemen in today's world.  But a gentleman has to continuously work at being one.  A gentleman isn't born one.  A lot of "old" gentlemen have been jerks.  And there are those who have never changed.

I have always been comfortable with women.  I've had more women doctors than men doctors.  I credit my mom for the way I am with women.  I'm more comfortable in a room full of women than I am in a room full of men.  I am not sure I smoke a pipe because I've been more of a gentleman, or if the pipe has made me work harder at being one.  I can be sexist about women, but I've worked very hard at not being a jerk.  A gentleman loves women without being a jerk.  Sometimes that can be difficult to learn.  But a gentleman has mastered his base feelings.  Women are to be appreciated and not owned.

I tend to think if I were a jerk my wife wouldn't put up with me, but no question that at times I act like one.  But now I just say I can be a grumpy old man.  That seems to be allowed.  But not a lot. Too much and I could be a jerk.   We might think of a gentleman as a professorial type or someone with great wealth.  A gentleman might be philanthropic.  But overall a gentleman is kindhearted.  He has found meaning in the Golden Rule.  

He may not smoke a pipe.  But I've found pipe smokers to generally be gentlemen.  Why the pipe does this harkens back to the days when a pipe smoker was considered to be a gentleman.  It's an unwritten rule among pipe smokers in particular.  Especially among older men.  They've had to learn how to be a gentleman.  Except for the college frat boys that wanted to be cool, it takes age and experience to master the art of pipe smoking and being a gentleman..  

Perhaps one word describes pipe smoking,  Patience.  Patience isn't given at birth.  Patience is learned.  Smoking a pipe teaches patience.  It is learned by years and not something easily attained.  It is something that requires constant attention.  Just like a pipe.  If a man wants to be a gentleman there will be times when he's failed.  He learns from his mistakes and moves on.  

I am talking about men here, because I am a man.  But it's no different for a woman.  Back in the day women respected a gentleman.  And I'll tell you there is no better judge of a character in a man that what a woman sees.  A man will be judged by women as either being a jerk or a gentleman or something in between.  A woman might see potential.  But my point is that gentlemen aren't given that rite at birth.  It takes years to master the art of being a gentleman.  

It can take years to master the art of pipe smoking.  Mark Twain said he was born to smoke a pipe.  In my own way, maybe I was too.  A gentleman finds joy in simple pleasures.  It's what a pipe is.  There's nothing too complicated about it.  But what a pipe teaches takes years to learn.  Once a man finds pleasure in a pipe, he'll find pleasure in life.  He'll find pleasure in the simplistist of things.  His mind will work to make the most complicated simple.  

Sure, I'm old school, because I still see men and women.  I'll tolerate anyone, but I still see men and women.  A gentleman learns not to hate.  Sometimes that's the hardest lesson.  There are many lessons a man learns from a pipe.  The best lesson a pipe teaches is relaxation.  I'm relaxing this Sunday morning with my Sunday Nording Angel pipe.  My tobacco this morning is Captain Black Original.  My coffee this morning is a cup of hot black Guatamalan coffee.  Thank you for your time and Peace to each one of you.

Dave