Tell the Story and Don't Rush

One of my favorite moments in C.S. Lewis's The Chronicles of Narnia is found in "A Horse and His Boy" (I could not pick a favorite moments, nor even narrow it down to a top 50).  However, the two horses and their respective humans meet and resolve to tell confide their stories to one another and Bree (the horse mentioned in the title) invites his new friend Aravis to tell her story.  "And don't rush, I'm feeling comfortable."  I think I love smoking pipe in part because it encourages storytelling.  I love hearing a good story, not a gossipy story, but a story about an adventure.  I recently had a great opportunity to hear a great story.


  I was smoking my church warden filled with 3 Oaks by McClelland and my friend his 1/2 bent rusticated pipe with Irish Flake.  We had a pot of Golden monkey loose leaf tea and there was very little wind.  It was warm but not hot (a welcome change) and the stars shone brightly.


  While pipes smoked and cups steamed I heard all about an incredible adventure in Hungary.  About a people untouched by the power of the gospel who got to hear.  About the surprises and unexpected turns of events that worked out to be even greater adventures of greater impact.  The whole affair was the finest way I could imagine spending an evening.  I could have listened to the story all over again.  We closed the evening catching up on summer reading.  Unrushed conversation over a cup of tea and a pipe is easily one of life's great and simple pleasures.