Seven years…has it really been that long? It feels just like yesterday when my wife was in the bathroom that Saturday morning as I laid in bed, asked “what did the doctor say it would feel like when my water broke?” In a sleepy voice I replied, “like you peed yourself” followed by a short pause and a hesitant reply from her of “oh”. After another short pause, I asked hesitantly “why?” and we were off to the races. We had just went to the doctors the day before and he told us it didn’t look like anything was happening and he’d see us next week and so we thought we still had time to pack our “go bag”, get the car seat installed and all those other things that tend to be put off because you have nine (more like 10) months to get it done. I remember after JJ was born (he was a c-section baby and then had a bout of jaundice so we were there for a few days longer than most), I stepped outside for the usual phone calls to talk to family, friends, co-workers and the insurance company. I also waited for my brother Chris, who at this time had three kids with one on the way. So Chris had the car seat installation experience I was in need of. It was then, as I made phone calls and waited, that I opened my travel humidor and smoked by first Series JJ. I’m sure it didn’t go down as romantically as I tried to make it sound but hey, its my memory. A memory of happier times celebrating the birth of my first child, my son, with my big brother doing what big brothers do; teaching their little brother how to install a car seat in a hospital parking lot. Its tough to think how much has changed since then and how neither of them are with me now.

This July 22nd is the 7th Annual Smoke a JJ for JJ Day. The event is simple. Wherever/whenever you are on July 22nd join me by sparking up a Don Pepin Garcia Series JJ by My Father Cigars and enjoy it! If you don’t have a Series JJ, no worries. I’ll be thankful for any cigar smoked in JJ’s memory. This day isn’t about what we smoke, it is about who we share them with, it is about taking time and reflecting on memories, that may include a tear or two but ultimately, a smile and laughter. As I’ve said in the past, the loss of losing JJ is always with me. It will always be there. Noticing. Influencing. Changing. Guiding. It may not hurt in the way it once did but it will forever stay as a great marker for me and how I view the world.

Whether this will be your first JJ for JJ Day or if you’ve been their from the beginning or somewhere in between…thank you. Thank you.