The other night I was out and about with my honey. After a grueling
30 minutes at one of our least favorite stores to pick up a new patio set we
were worn out. Not only was it Friday and the week had caught up to us but
exhaustion was setting in. We decided to stop at the local cigar shop. It
really is a beautiful location with a comfortable patio with fire pits, a very
masculine sitting area inside with a fireplace as well as a small bar that
serves local craft beers to enjoy with your cigar of choice. Every once in a while
we stop in to pick up a Macanudo for my honey to sit back and savor. I actually
enjoy going to this location as it very friendly and low key and the humidor
shop is filled with the wonderful aromas of fine tobacco. I actually find the
humidity within very calming as well.
We entered the giant humidor and since we are familiar with
the set up, we went right over to the Mac section and picked a few to take
home. As my husband is paying for his purchase he is chatting with the cashier.
There was a pile of cigar boxes on the counter that customers can use to carry their selections through the store. I picked up one of the cigar boxes and turned to the other sales associate that had been making small talk with me earlier. She noticed me picking up the box, closing my eyes and taking in a giant whiff. So she didn’t think I was off my rocker, I commented to her that I love the smell of cigar boxes. I shared with her that when I was a young girl I loved to sketch with charcoals. My charcoals were kept in a cigar box that my mother’s boss had given to me for my art supplies. I remember fondly the aroma of tobacco each time I opened the box to sketch. It truly brought me back to being a child and what a great time that was. As I stood there sharing my memory with the women, she started to get tears in her eyes. I don’t know if I triggered a memory she had or that fact that she totally connected with the fact that the olfactory nerve connects our sense of smell with the brain thus triggering memories. Perhaps she had a memory of her mother or childhood. As I took in the moment continuing to enjoy the aroma and the memory, she reached over, handed me a beautifully crafted cigar box and filled it with a few cedar liners. She said, “take this home and enjoy”, as more tears welled in her eyes. As I thanked her for her generosity, I asked her if I could give her a hug and then gave her a hug for her kindness. At that time my husband had finished paying for his purchase and caught the last glimpse of what had just taken place. He asked if everything was okay and we exited the cigar shop. All with a huge smile on my face!
You see, for those few moments, this woman and I connected. This
woman and I had a “moment”!
Human connection is vital and kindness is contagious. I will
continue to smell the cigar box that now resides in my home and I will continue
to remember and be grateful that sometimes even strangers can touch your soul
and fill you with joy!
Just Sayin’,
Christina