I think the best thing about these gatherings is the people. I have two small groups that get together on a regular basis, two different clubs if you will. It’s always great getting to see the people in these groups. In fact, I normally don’t get to see any of these people during the month except when we do get together at our monthly events. These kinds of groups or clubs have a way of creating and forging long and sincere friendships, the kind that can and will last for a lifetime. Friendships like that are harder to establish these days. We’re all too busy. We’re all going so fast. However, when it comes time for my cigar gatherings, all that seems to take the backseat to building and strengthening these very special friendships.

So, what am I saying in all this? Well, let me tell you. I think you can do yourself a lot of good by starting up one of these groups or clubs with the cigar smokers you enjoy hanging around. It’s a great way to have friends with a common feeling about cigars. Have you ever noticed how cigars can bring the best out of us? Have you ever noticed how well cigar smokers get along when they’re enjoying their cigars? I think it’s a great reason to be involved with one of these groups. Recently when our dinner club met (the other one is a card group), I was amazed at how the cigar seemed to keep us together when in our conversation we were faced with a very delicate and sensitive issue that we did not agree on. It was clear by our voices that our emotions were entering in to the conversation, but in a strange way, we were all able to agree to disagree about the issue that had surfaced. Let me say that I have experienced similar situations with the same topic that got so out of control that people left the room not being able to speak to each other. But this was different. Very, very different in fact.