Benefits of smoking

frankly, smoking kills and i am sure all the smokers in the world have heard this at least once in their life from a variety of concerned people. you have heard it from people ranging right from the Government to your 4 year old daughter who has been coached by your spouse in the nuances of emotional blackmail and cute smiles to get you off the bloody cigarette. they do have a good enough reason to reprimand, coax, cajole, nag, bug, plead, order etc etc so that you quit because after all there are numerous things like cancer, heart attacks, strokes, emphysema, bronchitis etc etc that the swirling smoke can pass on to you.

but here i will talk about benefits or rather 'a particular benefit' that i have observed in my life among smokers and i have decided to call this phenomenon of small but widespread proportions-

The Sutta Bonhomie

it is almost like an under the surface social ritual, a way to make friends and be a part of the group, the easiest route into social milieus and the informal yet acceptable way to take an up-step in your life. if you are new in a setting just tilt your nose up and catch the whiff of burning tobacco; use your cigarette as a beacon and guide yourself to the smoking corner and voila! you are no more the alien being, the species my friend has accepted you. professors (only the 'cool' ones) smoke with students, bosses back slap their junior smoking buddies and you always have some one with something in common with you. in the sutta bonhomie space; smiles, cigarettes, lighters and matches are exchanged and all is well with the world.

P.S. if you ask me intruding on any such session is never a good idea. you'll never want to do it again. you'll be shuffling your feet, digging your hands deep into your pockets, looking around awkwardly and on top of that get a dose of the smoke you have decided to stay away from in the first place.