In praise of smoking, even though you shouldn't do it.

A cigarette is a kiss you give to the world. It goes well with everything: at night after dinner, at a shady spot in the forest, before and after the working day, in love, in heartbreak, with rock and foxtrot, while reading and while swearing with righteous anger. The only place it doesn't fully belong is on the bright green grass in the middle of a clear spring day, or with ice cream.

You really shouldn't do it, it's true, and so I don't. But there are so many occassions in which I think it'd be great to smoke a robust short cigarette, or a kretek clove one, or a slender, long cigarette on a holder. Perhaps in another life... in this one I value my health, a clear throat, unstained teeth and a neutral smell around me too much. In the scale of values, bodily health forms the basis without which happiness is nearly impossible, so I think it is not responsible to sacrifice this for aesthetic pleasure. Still, I yearn...

When will they come up with a non-harmful cigarette for once?