What has the Cigar done for you lately?

“The cigar is a great resource. It is necessary to have traveled for a long time on a ship to understand that at least the cigar affords you the pleasure of smoking. It raises your spirits. Are you troubled by something? The cigar dissolves it. Are you subject to aches and pains (or bad temper)? The cigar will change your disposition. Are you harassed by unpleasant thoughts? Smoking a cigar puts one in a frame of mind to dispense with these. Do you ever feel a little faint from hunger? A cigar satisfies the yearning. If you are obsessed by sad thoughts, a cigar will take your mind off of them. Finally, don’t you sometimes have some unpleasant remembrance or consoling thought? A cigar will reinforce this. Sometimes they die out, and happy are those who do not need to relight too quickly. I hardly need to say anything more about the cigar, to which I dedicate this little eulogy for past services rendered.”
The Duc de la Rochefoucauld-Liancourt, 1794

As I read through dozens of cigar quotes for these types of articles, there were some that were so much more than a clever quote regarding the enjoyment or relaxation brought on by cigars. Some of those quotes were rather deep and thought provoking, much like the one above by The Duc de la Rochefoucauld-Liancourt in 1794.

As I read the quote over and over again, there is nothing to argue against. Each and every point made in the writing makes perfect sense to me and I would agree with all of them. Rather than try to argue against said quote, I thought perhaps I would dive into it and point out how a few sections relate to me.

”It is necessary to have traveled for a long time on a ship to understand that at least the cigar affords you the pleasure of smoking.”

In todays society, a long trip across the sea by ship is not required to elevate your stress levels. With the hustle and bustle of everyday life, stress has become a part of everyday life. In the sense of sheer boredom, I suppose a long flight or car ride can relate in a sense.

Although you won’t be smoking your cigar while flying in a commercial plane anytime soon, smoking in a car is something many of us probably do on a regular basis. While operating a motor vehicle doesn’t lend itself well to focusing on the cigar alone, it does allow you to enjoy it in a passive sense while you keep your mind focused on the road ahead.

If you have ever taken a long drive and had the option to smoke a cigar along the way, you know that even as a passive pleasure, they make a fantastic travel companion. The only problem your smoky companion may cause is the occasional ash on your lap, which I think is much nicer than one which constantly reaches for the radio.

”It raises your spirits. Are you troubled by something? The cigar dissolves it. Are you subject to aches and pains (or bad temper)? The cigar will change your disposition. Are you harassed by unpleasant thoughts? Smoking a cigar puts one in a frame of mind to dispense with these. Do you ever feel a little faint from hunger? A cigar satisfies the yearning. If you are obsessed by sad thoughts, a cigar will take your mind off of them.”

This is the part of the quote that I believe is true in every sense of the word. From time to time I find myself enveloped in stress and frustration. When these times arise, I simply need some quiet time to myself so that I can analyze my thoughts and realize the course of action required to remedy my ills.

Ever since I have started enjoying cigars, I have found that by enjoying one while I analyze my thoughts does wonders for my mood. The relaxation that the cigar provides allows me to drift away from the stresses and I can then see the issue without over-analyzing or over-complicating it.

By the time I am finished, my thoughts are in order and I find myself completely relaxed for the better portion of the time it took me to enjoy my fine, hand made, product. There are occasional times when one cigar isn’t enough, but a second always does the trick, and a nice adult beverage doesn’t hurt either. It is all about slowing down enough to see the problem for what it is, then taking the necessary steps to think it through.

”I hardly need to say anything more about the cigar, to which I dedicate this little eulogy for past services rendered.”

This little piece drives the quote home and reinforces all that has been said. It is as if the originator of this quote speaks about the cigar as a dear friend. He closes out his words by thanking the cigar for all that it has done for him. Like the originator, I too can appreciate all the times when the cigar helped get through difficult times, or even made a celebration all the more special.